A professional services and information technology consulting firm, GuideSoft, Inc., doing business as Knowledge Services, plans to expand its headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, creating up to 400 jobs by 2018.

The homegrown-Hoosier company will invest $842,500 to lease and equip 5,500 square feet of additional space at its existing 18,000 square-foot corporate headquarters on the city’s northeast side. The expanded space, which will be operational by November, will house Knowledge Services’ software development and client support services.

“Knowledge Services offers a unique, complementary set of full-service offerings to help companies and governmental bodies manage contingent labor, including cost tracking and 1099 services. No one else in the state, and few in the country, have succeeded in providing these kind of complete, integrated services – and that's what's fueling our growth,” said Julie Bielawski, founder and chief executive officer of Knowledge Services. “Indiana is home for us – it is where we were raised and where we raised our children. The welcoming business environment combined with the talented workforce is what has led us to grow and expand.”

“With Indiana’s pro-growth business environment, companies like Knowledge Services know that their operations won’t be hampered by intrusive government regulations or red tape,” said Gov. Mike Pence. “Here in the Hoosier State, we pride ourselves in being a state that works for business, complete with low taxes, a skilled workforce and a growing marketplace of innovative companies.”

This is Knowledge Services’ second expansion in two years. In July 2011, the high-tech company announced plans to invest $1.9 million to expand its Indianapolis headquarters, adding 200 new jobs by 2015. Knowledge Services has already exceeded its job creation goals under this project, Indiana Economic Development officials said.

As an incentive, Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered GuideSoft, Inc. d/b/a Knowledge Services up to $2,350,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. In addition, the city of Indianapolis supported the project at the request of Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber.

“Coupled with their recent growth in 2011, this announcement shows that Knowledge Services is flourishing in Indy’s rapidly growing digital technology sector,” said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. “This growth continues to provide our talented workforce with high-paying, high tech jobs making Indy a more competitive market for keeping young professionals graduating from our universities’ technology degree programs. This is a key component of the future of innovation and development in Indy.”