At Avum, Inc., we’ve built our reputation on solving the complex technical hurdles of the Department of War (DoW). But as the landscape of federal acquisition shifts, the challenge isn’t just about technical capability. It's about velocity, interoperability, and fiscal responsibility.
As Congress increases oversight on military spending, the mandate is clear: all branches must save costs and eliminate the silos that slow us down. To meet this challenge, Avum has deepened its partnership with Appian.
By leveraging Appian’s low-code solutions, we aren’t just building applications. We are building the future of cross-service efficiency.
One Codebase, Multiple Missions
One of the primary drivers of our partnership is the ability to create shareable success. The congressional emphasis on modernizing government contract writing systems has created a unique opportunity for innovation.
We’ve already seen the impact of this approach. The adaptability of the Appian platform has made sharing code across DoW services instrumental in our progress. We have been able to leverage code created by the Navy, Army, Air Force, and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA/4th Estate) in the ePS product. Conversely we have shared our development efforts for broader DoW use, an initiative that contributed to the DoW winning the GITEC award for Acquisition Innovation and Impact in 2025. With Appian, we can take this “write once, deploy many” philosophy to the next level. The sharing of code between the services ensures that every dollar spent on development benefits the entire Joint Force.
Solving the Complexity of Contracting
Federal contracting is one of the most document-heavy and workflow-intensive environments in the world and Appian is equipped with features and functionality uniquely suited for the full lifecycle of acquisition.
From the initial Purchase Requisition (PR) to solicitations, amendments, and final awards, the process is a maze of routing and compliance. Appian’s platform excels here due to a few unique capabilities:
Process Modeling: It is built to take complex inputs and ensure they are routed exactly where they need to go, maintaining a perfect audit trail.
Complex Document Handling: It simplifies the storage and management of the massive data sets and forms inherent in the Navy’s contracting process.
Rapid Iteration: The built-in tools allow us to move from a requirement to a functional workflow faster than traditional high-code methods ever could.
The Strategic Choice: Lessons from the Navy’s ePS
Choosing a platform is a high-stakes decision. Before launching our work on the Navy’s Electronic Procurement System (ePS), we participated in a feasibility study alongside the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN (RDA)) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Procurement (DASN(P)).
During this feasibility study, we evaluated several alternatives, but landed on utilization of the Air Force’s CON-IT code base, which was built using the Appian AI-powered, low-code platform. In doing so, we were able to build and scale in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.
We chose to double down on Appian for three specific reasons:
- User Accessibility: It is significantly easier for both our developers and the Navy’s non-technical subject matter experts to learn and operate.
- Modern Integration: It integrates seamlessly with our AWS cloud environments and Java-based microservices.
- Proven Foundation: By building on the Appian framework, we could modify existing success for the Navy rather than reinventing the wheel.
Looking Ahead
Our partnership with Appian is about more than just low-code. It’s about fulfilling our commitment to the warfighter. By reducing development time and enabling cross-service collaboration, we are ensuring that the Navy and its sister branches have the tools they need to stay agile in an increasingly complex world.
At Avum, we don’t just build software. We build the systems that power the mission. With Appian, we’re doing it faster and smarter than ever before.