Aquia: Strategic Growth Ahead for this Remote First Partner Focused on Hiring, Developing, and Retaining the Best

With companies across the board torn between remote and back to the office demands, Aquia, recognized multiple times over as an Elev8 GovCon Honoree, shares its insights on hiring, retention, innovation and doing it right the first time as a federal government partner and deliberately remote-first team.

Exemplifying Innovation 

Among the eight Elev8 characteristics, “Exemplify Innovation” stands out as the most critical value for our company. Innovation ties into several of our company’s core values: disrupt and transform; be curious, learn, and innovate; and deliver exceptional results. Our commitment to innovation directly impacts our ability to deliver more effective solutions for our government partners and, ultimately, the American people.  

We place a high value on continuous learning and development, so our team can deliver transformative work that disrupts that status quo. For example, at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) we’ve implemented a SaaS governance framework to help improve cloud visibility, flag duplicative SaaS spending, and reduce risk. We are also developing an AI/ML platform leveraging generative AI to relieve user burden across the agency. 

Across other federal agencies, we’re enabling our customers to move beyond compliance and embrace security as a core design principle — establishing continuous authorization to operate (cATO) initiatives, developing platforms-as-a-service (PaaS), and more to streamline business processes and increase efficiencies. 

Hire, Develop and Retain the Best 

Being an employee-owned company fundamentally shapes our culture at Aquia. One of our core values is to “hire, develop, and retain the best,” emphasizing the importance of finding employees that complement our company DNA. As part owners, our employees all have a vested interest in raising the bar with every new hire and finding candidates who share our values and commitment to excellence.  

We hire employees who prioritize truth and transparency, take full accountability, and embrace continuous learning and development. Coupling those qualities with a passion for civic duty and mission-based work has helped us to build an incredible team of individuals committed to delivering better government services for our country. 

Mentors over Managers 

One unique thing about our mindset is we openly acknowledge that Aquia will not be the last place our employees work (and that’s okay!). We want every employee to leave Aquia better than when they started.  

This recognition shapes how we approach leadership. For example, we have mentors rather than traditional managers. Our mentors focus on individual growth and development — not just project deadlines and performance metrics. They’re invested in helping their mentees build their careers, even if that path eventually leads them beyond Aquia. 

This perspective lets us maximize the employee experience while they’re here. We actively encourage professional development, skill expansion, and personal growth — and back it with a healthy $5,000 annual education budget, in addition to the opportunity for certification bounties. 

Intentional Fully Remote Culture 

Maintaining our culture as we grow requires intentional effort and regular connection, especially as a fully remote company.  

Our annual company-wide offsites are one of our cornerstone events for helping to preserve our culture. These gatherings offer an opportunity for our team members to connect in person, strengthen their relationships, and reinforce our shared values through face-to-face collaboration and team building. 

We also host regular virtual touchpoints throughout the year. Our lunch-and-learns create opportunities for knowledge sharing and cross-team engagement. Monthly virtual happy hours featuring trivia keep our team connected in a fun, casual setting.  

Recognizing the importance of employee recognition and reinforcing our values, we also encourage teams to use our integrated “praise” tool, which publicly recognizes colleagues for their exceptional work, help, or contributions. 

Last, but certainly not least, we actively measure and monitor our cultural health. Monthly pulse surveys help us track employee satisfaction, while bi-annual psychological safety surveys ensure we’re maintaining an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and contributing. This regular feedback allows us to address concerns quickly and adapt our approach as we grow. 

Ideal Partners in Getting it Right the First time 

Having been founded by three former federal leaders, we intimately understand the importance of getting delivery right the first time — never sacrificing long-term value for short-term results.  

When it comes to partnerships, we actively seek out organizations that share our values and civic-oriented mission. Our ideal partners are digital services firms that demonstrate a genuine commitment to civic duty and public service, a track record of innovation, and strong employee-first cultures that attract and retain top talent. 

We firmly believe that the best partnerships are built on shared values and mission-alignment, and are looking to connect with companies that view government digital modernization as a way to make a meaningful difference in the way our government serves its citizens. 

Strategic Growth Ahead 

Over the next couple of years, Aquia is positioned for strategic growth across several federal agencies, building on our strong foundation of innovative delivery. Having secured positions on key contract vehicles like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) SPRUCE IDIQ and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) STRATUS Cloud basic ordering agreement in 2024, we’re expanding our presence at both the VA and USDA. 

We’re also deepening our impact at agencies where we’ve already established strong partnerships. This includes expanding our foundational work at CMS and advancing cATO initiatives at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 

We’re particularly proud to be recognized as the Department of Health and Human Services’s 2024 Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year, and look forward to continuing to demonstrate our value at other agencies. 

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