Government technology sellers are not all alike. Federal IT services contractors, defense software makers and state and local software vendors attract different buyers, and the advisors on those deals differ too. This guide covers all three groups and shows the target for every deal.
Contractor deals often depend on contract vehicles, clearances and customer concentration, so a firm that has run a federal services sale will usually ask about those first. We rank by documented deals and leave suitability to the reader.
How We Ranked These Advisors
Ranking Method
Deals on record. The count of government and public sector technology transactions in the ProCloser Deal Index where a public source names the firm as an advisor.
Side coverage. Whether the firm is named on the sell side, the buy side or both. It is shown for each firm and does not change the order.
Recency. How recently the firm's latest named government and public sector technology deal was announced. It breaks ties between firms with the same deal count.
The pool is 16 government and public sector technology deals announced in 2026, each tied to a press release, SEC filing or news report. A firm that advised on more deals in the pool ranks higher. Ties break on the most recent announcement. The Deal Index records only advisors a public source names, so a firm can have closed work that does not appear here. This is a ranking of public deal evidence, not a quality score.
Government and Public Sector Technology Advisors at a Glance
| Advisor | Deals on Record | Role | Latest Deal Announced | Latest Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Piper Sandler | 5 | sell-side | October 19, 2026 | Agile Defense |
| 2. J.P. Morgan | 2 | sell-side | July 28, 2026 | Raft |
| 3. Rock Hall | 2 | buy-side | July 7, 2026 | Highlight Technologies |
| 4. Baird | 1 | sell-side | October 5, 2026 | Softdocs |
| 5. Macquarie Capital | 1 | buy-side | October 5, 2026 | Softdocs |
| 6. Raymond James | 1 | sell-side | October 5, 2026 | Softdocs |
| 7. KippsDeSanto & Co. | 1 | sell-side | September 21, 2026 | Intelligent Waves |
| 8. Morgan Stanley | 1 | buy-side | July 28, 2026 | Raft |
The 8 Best M&A Advisors for Government and Public Sector Technology
1 Piper Sandler
Piper Sandler has 5 named government and public sector technology transactions in the ProCloser Deal Index, covering the sell-side role, most recently Agile Defense in October 19, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Agile Defense, acquired by Maximus (October 19, 2026). Piper Sandler advised on the sell-side. Defense IT, cybersecurity, data analytics services. Source: Document
- Amivero, acquired by Xpect Solutions (September 3, 2026). Piper Sandler advised on the sell-side. Federal national security AI and IT solutions. Source: Xpect Solutions Acquires Amivero, Expanding Technical Capabilities and Customer Depth acro
- BreakPoint Labs, acquired by Valiant Solutions (June 2, 2026). Piper Sandler advised on the sell-side. National security cyber operations and red teaming. Source: Valiant Solutions, a Bluestone Portfolio Company, Acquires BreakPoint Labs to Expand Cyber
- Abile Group, acquired by Valiant Solutions (February 17, 2026). Piper Sandler advised on the sell-side. Secure network and cyber engineering services. Source: Valiant Solutions, a Bluestone portfolio company, Acquires Abile Group to Expand Cybersecu
- For The Record, acquired by Tyler Technologies (February 2, 2026). Piper Sandler advised on the sell-side. Courtroom recording and speech-to-text software. Source: For The Record Will Be Acquired by Tyler Technologies
Best for: Sellers who want an advisor with a record on the same side of the table as them.
2 J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan has 2 named government and public sector technology transactions in the ProCloser Deal Index, covering the sell-side role, most recently Raft in July 28, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Raft, acquired by Leonardo DRS (July 28, 2026). J.P. Morgan advised on the sell-side. Open-architecture mission software with AI data fusion. Source: Leonardo DRS to Acquire Raft, Expanding Multi-Domain AI, Data Fusion and Mission Software
- ARKA Group, acquired by CACI International Inc (March 9, 2026). J.P. Morgan advised on the sell-side. Space-based EO/IR sensors, geospatial intelligence AI software. Source: Document
Best for: Owners who want a bank that has already worked on a close comparable.
3 Rock Hall
Rock Hall has 2 named government and public sector technology transactions in the ProCloser Deal Index, covering the buy-side role, most recently Highlight Technologies in July 7, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Highlight Technologies, acquired by Empower AI (July 7, 2026). Rock Hall advised on the buy-side. Federal data and digital transformation IT services. Source: Empower AI acquires data, digital transformation outfit - Washington Technology
- The Prospective Group, acquired by Copper River Family of Companies (January 22, 2026). Rock Hall advised on the buy-side. Federal IT and mission-services contractor. Source: Copper River Family of Companies Announces Acquisition of The Prospective Group, Expanding
Best for: Founders weighing a strategic buyer against a financial sponsor.
4 Baird
Baird appears in the ProCloser Deal Index on one government and public sector technology transaction: the sell-side role on Softdocs's sale to Aurora Capital Partners, announced October 5, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Softdocs, acquired by Aurora Capital Partners (October 5, 2026). Baird advised on the sell-side. Document management and workflow automation software. Source: Aurora Capital Partners Acquires Softdocs, a Leading Provider of Process Automation and Do
Best for: Companies whose likely buyers are listed or large-cap acquirers.
5 Macquarie Capital
Macquarie Capital appears in the ProCloser Deal Index on one government and public sector technology transaction: the buy-side role on Softdocs's sale to Aurora Capital Partners, announced October 5, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Softdocs, acquired by Aurora Capital Partners (October 5, 2026). Macquarie Capital advised on the buy-side. Document management and workflow automation software. Source: Aurora Capital Partners Acquires Softdocs, a Leading Provider of Process Automation and Do
Best for: Owners who want to see a recent, dated deal before a first call.
6 Raymond James
Raymond James appears in the ProCloser Deal Index on one government and public sector technology transaction: the sell-side role on Softdocs's sale to Aurora Capital Partners, announced October 5, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Softdocs, acquired by Aurora Capital Partners (October 5, 2026). Raymond James advised on the sell-side. Document management and workflow automation software. Source: Aurora Capital Partners Acquires Softdocs, a Leading Provider of Process Automation and Do
Best for: Sellers comparing a specialist boutique with a bulge-bracket name.
7 KippsDeSanto & Co.
KippsDeSanto & Co. appears in the ProCloser Deal Index on one government and public sector technology transaction: the sell-side role on Intelligent Waves's sale to B&A, announced September 21, 2026.
- Intelligent Waves, acquired by B&A (September 21, 2026). KippsDeSanto & Co. advised on the sell-side. Secure mobile communications and data management for federal agencies. Source: B&A acquires secure communication tech developer - Washington Technology
Best for: Buyers who want a named adviser on the acquiring side.
8 Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley appears in the ProCloser Deal Index on one government and public sector technology transaction: the buy-side role on Raft's sale to Leonardo DRS, announced July 28, 2026. The firm's full record across every sector is on its advisor page.
- Raft, acquired by Leonardo DRS (July 28, 2026). Morgan Stanley advised on the buy-side. Open-architecture mission software with AI data fusion. Source: Leonardo DRS to Acquire Raft, Expanding Multi-Domain AI, Data Fusion and Mission Software
Best for: Companies that want an advisor with a current-year track record.
How to Choose a Government and Public Sector Technology M&A Advisor
- Separate federal services, defense products and state and local software, since buyers and valuations differ.
- Check whether the firm's listed deals are in your segment and size.
- Ask how the firm handles clearance and contract novation questions in a sale.
- Confirm every advisor role from the linked source before relying on it.
Match With a Government and Public Sector Technology M&A Advisor
Tell us about your company and ProCloser matches you with advisory firms that have relevant deal records. Free to sellers, confidential.
Get Matched With an Advisor →For the full record of advisors and deals across every sector, see the ProCloser Deal Index and the advisor rankings. Related guides are listed on the blog.