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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Science Applications International Corporation Locates Technology Hub In Cookeville, Tennessee

04/03/2017
Science Applications International Corporation will establish a Technology Integration Gateway, 81 miles east of Nashville and 102 miles west of Knoxville, in Cookeville, Tennessee. The new facility, along I-40, is expected to create 300 new jobs over the next five years.

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, SAIC is a premier technology integrator in the technical, engineering, intelligence and IT sectors.

“SAIC has a long legacy of doing business in Tennessee,” SAIC CEO Tony Moraco said. “When seeking a location for our first Technology Integration Gateway, Tennessee was a natural choice, especially given Governor Haslam’s strong commitment to workforce development, job creation and post-secondary attainment. The Cookeville Gateway will provide an excellent opportunity to build a lasting relationship with Tennessee Tech, support the development of a 21st century workforce and help local talent develop the in-demand skills necessary to address our customers’ most critical IT missions.”

Expected to open this summer, the Technology Integration Gateway will serve federal defense and civilian agencies, state and local governments, as well as commercial businesses. SAIC is exploring partnership opportunities with Tennessee Tech to identify and provide high-tech training to prospective IT employees.

According to Governor Bill Haslam’s office, Technology Integration Gateway will create a wide range of technology jobs, including roles in information technology (IT) services, computer programming, engineering and software development. The Gateway will also provide cloud, cyber security and data science expertise.

“We’re pleased that SAIC has decided to expand further in Tennessee by creating 300 well-paying jobs in software engineering, computer programming and other technology roles in Cookeville,” Haslam said.”

“SAIC employs more than 600 Tennesseans and this decision to put additional resources in Tennessee is a strong vote of confidence in the strength of our workforce,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe said. “SAIC’s commitment to forge strong ties with Tennessee Tech University and create high quality jobs matches perfectly with our statewide efforts to better align higher education with the needs of business partners. We look forward to the positive impact SAIC will have in Cookeville for years to come.”

“The City of Cookeville is extremely excited about this announcement. The impact these new jobs will have on our downtown merchants and businesses is significant,” Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton said. “Jobs in the technology sector will be vital in helping raise per capita income in Cookeville. Higher wage jobs will create more income for our local businesses to capitalize on. The bottom line is that jobs in this sector translate to greater opportunities for our retailers, and this is very promising in regards to our city’s future. We look forward to more technology-based firms making Cookeville their home.”

"This announcement is a game-changer for our region. Our team has been working to grow employment in this sector for a long time, and we are optimistic that this company will be a catalyst for continued growth in the IT cluster,” George Halford, President & CEO of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber, said. “This project would never have been possible without the support and teamwork from our TTU, Putnam County, City of Cookeville, TNECD, and TVA partners. We see this project as the tipping point for future technology-driven, higher paying jobs for our region.”

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