Apache iX (iX stands for Independent eXperts) is a small – but fast-growing - IT services company with a strong background in the defence sector. The company was founded in 2014 by Jeff Moreton (ex Qinetiq & HVR Consulting). Jeff was quickly joined by John Marsh and Andrew Page. Together, these three have built the company – it now approaches 20 people.

Jeff Moreton

John Marsh

Andrew Page

Apache iX provides services across the project lifecycle, from business analysis and procurement to technical consultancy and software delivery. Its consultants are senior, specialist, experienced, and accustomed to working within large customer and multi-supplier project teams; their core values are pragmatism, trustworthiness and collaboration.

A services company can only be as good as its people, and it becomes clear, on meeting Andrew, that Apache’s people are good, living up to the ‘iX’ tag. The strength of the team means that Apache are confident to embrace high-complexity environments and requirements. Indeed, as Andrew points out, complexity appears everywhere in the defence sector: at the commercial level, through to stakeholders and users, and of course technology.

It is easier for companies of this size to focus on excellence than it is for much larger consulting firms, which tend to dilute as they grow. But being small has its drawbacks too, especially when it comes to bidding on large public sector projects. The cost and effort involved with bidding on frameworks is high due to the number and breadth of frameworks, with success by no means guaranteed. Andrew points out that the barriers to entry for frameworks like Management Consultancy Framework Three (MCF3) are quite high for SMEs.

It was this fact that led Apache iX to seek out Bramble Hub and become one of our partners, thus gaining access to a greater breadth of frameworks, MCF3 included. And this helps to illustrate one of the strengths of the Bramble Hub model: it allows buyers to access the specialisms of small companies that may be the best in their field, but may not have the resources to successfully bid on all frameworks. In this way, Bramble Hub’s model of doing business gives public service customers access to a far broader pool of service providers than they could by doing business only with the largest consultancies. And this brings a synergy that benefits both customer and supplier.

As Andrew points out, “There are frameworks that we can’t, don’t want to or couldn’t justify the effort of joining,”, and says of Bramble Hub: “We’re pleased to have met you”. And the feeling is mutual.

For more information about Apache iX, see their partner profile page.