2019: A Brief Retrospective

2019 was a productive year for Niyam IT. We began the year with a combined total of 59 employees and contractors, and ended with a team of 71 (40 employees and 31 contractors). We’ve picked up a lot of fresh talent this year while maintaining familiar faces that help drive us forward. There is a lot for us to be proud of, including but not limited to:

Hazus Featured in Presidential Report DR-4413

On November 30, 2018, a massive M7.0 earthquake struck Anchorage, Alaska. Working alongside FEMA, our Hazus team sprang into action, acting rapidly to generate and accurate analysis of building damage, economic losses, displaced households, and shelter needs. The analysis results were distributed for operational use within hours of the earthquake.

Hazus-generated damage analysis was very close to the actual findings Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) submitted by the state of Alaska. So close, that the Hazus results were included in Governor Michael Dunleavy’s official request to the White House for Presidential Disaster Declaration. In January 2019, the request was granted.

In a perfect world, our Hazus work would not be necessary. Unfortunately, nature can be an unstoppable force. It can be difficult to look at the face of disaster and spin it into anything positive, however we take pride in the fact that our efforts exist to aid relief and give hope to those affected.

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Breaking New Grounds in Two Federal Departments

Some might say that our work with the Department of Homeland Security is our bread and butter, and we truly love our work with their agencies. That said, we are more than that! We believe in helping in any area that can benefit from our expertise, and this year we added two new federal clients: Department of Health & Human Services (FDA), and Department of Agriculture.

Don’t worry, these are safe. We made sure!

From April through September, Niyam IT supported the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Generic Drug Review System, which verifies that generic drugs are safe, effective and substitutable as the brand name counterpart. We thoroughly examined the data submitted by generic drug companies, evaluated the information obtained by our investigators and inspected the related testing and manufacturing facilities. Proposed changes to generic drug products are also evaluated by Niyam IT before review and approval by the FDA. Our work not only ensured a more streamlined, effective drug review process, it also helped improve overall patient confidence in generic drugs.

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Since November, Niyam has been supporting the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). We are lending our expertise in the Post-Implementation Review of the Integrated Management Administrative Tool (iMART) and Production, Supply, and Distribution (PSD) systems for the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. We look forward to kindling these partnerships with every client!

Maintaining Our Proven Standards of Excellence

It’s one thing to toot our own horns and tout our own competencies, but it’s another to have a third party do it for you with data! We have always been proud of our ISO 9001:2015 certification and our CMMI Level 3 rating, so when it came time to renew in 2019 we knew had to do it right!

In June, Niyam IT renewed its ISO 9001:2015 certification for our Quality Management System (QMS). This achievement shows that we are truly invested in providing innovative, mission-critical IT solutions for improved business outcomes. It recognizes our vision to build integrated, cost-effective, innovative IT solutions for U.S. Federal and Civilian Agencies.

Our official appraisal mark from CMMI

In July, Niyam IT maintained proven standards of excellence by maintaining our Level 3 maturity rating for the CMMI Institute’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)®. The appraisal was performed by Concept QA Labs (CQAL). This distinction proves that we take a proactive approach to managing projects and processes, and we’re dedicated to continuous improvement and producing great work that makes a difference.

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SBA Certified HUBZone Firm

For the first time this November, Niyam IT was titled an official SBA Certified HUBZone Firm. The Small Business Administration has granted us HUBZone designation after a thorough review process, which allows us to apply for set-aside contracts that are specifically given to HUBZone businesses. Importantly, being recognized as a Certified HUBZone Firm means that we are recognized in our efforts to promote business and growth in disadvantaged areas, as we strive to achieve excellence everywhere we tread.

New Website

Jeannette also designed our new logo!

This year we worked with Jeannette at In House Creative to give our website a facelift, and in August we launched it with a beautiful new design and layout! Our new website has given us a streamlined look where it is easier to find out more about what we do, where we do it, and how to work with us directly! Thank you to Jeannette for her work!

Conferences

It’s particularly difficult to name every conference and event we attended and took part in, but a few highlights stand out!

In May, we not only attended Association of State Floodplain Managers 2019 Annual National Conference in Cleveland, but our Geospatial Practice Partner Dan Horner gave a live presentation on FEMA Flood Map Tools For Floodplain Managers at Flood Fest 2019. He’s demonstrating flood data resources that help state and local floodplain managers to more effectively understand, communicate, and regulate risk in their communities.

Dan presenting at the ASFPM
Dan is the man with the (flood) plan
Kurt presenting at GWU
A Kurt Whiting Sighting at GWU

In December, we were invited to the George Washington University Data Club’s annual Data Conference. We delivered a presentation there on data-driven insights based around our work with FEMA Hazus, PIVOT, and Risk MAP. Thank you to the hardworking students and staff who put this one together!

Giving Back

As always, we make a point to give back each year. Throughout 2019, we have been a longtime sponsor of the SOS Children’s Village.

A colorful picture drawn by a child in the SOS Village in Bangalore
A wonderful drawing from the children of the SOS Village in Bangalore.
These kids have talent!

“SOS Children’s Villages International comprises 118 national SOS Children’s Villages associations. As members of the federation, each SOS Children’s Villages association is committed to applying the federation’s statutes, standards for quality child care, and stringent financial and administrative practices.” Niyam is proud to work with SOS Children’s Village in Bangalore, India as a sponsor, and we fully support the mission and drive of this organization.

Veena standing in front of a sponsorship recognition banner with the Niyam IT logo
Veena at the SEAC Awards Ceremony! (This was before we updated our logo!)

In April, Niyam IT was a Gold sponsor of Loudoun County’s 2019 Recognition of Excellence in Supporting Special Education Awards Ceremony. We stand by the hardworking educators, parents, students, and programs who go above and beyond for the success of students with disabilities.

Here’s To 2020!

One simply cannot sum up a whole year in a blog post, but one can acknowledge that it takes a stellar team to keep the ship moving. We look forward with optimism for what a new year brings; what challenges we will tackle; what problems we will solve; what growth we will see.

From everyone at Niyam, have a safe and happy new year!

Photo by Crazy nana on Unsplash

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