Proximity joins global advisory and technical services firm Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA)

CANBERRA – Wednesday 5 March, 2025: Proximity, an award-winning Australian provider of integrated consulting, legal and commercial services to government,  announced today that it has joined Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA) Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Systems Planning & Analysis, a leading global provider of advisory services in support of critical national security objectives.  

Sean King and James Dunn founded Proximity in 2011. Across its three practice areas, the consultancy offers change management, procurement and contract management, program and project management, commercial law, public law and legal support services, and business cases and cost modelling.

Proximity has grown to more than 115 employees working on projects across whole of Government including major Commonwealth public sector agencies. Clients include the Department of Defence; Industry, Science and Resources; Home Affairs; Veterans Affairs; Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; Department of Health and Aged Care; National Disability Insurance Agency, and Services Australia.

SPA provides analysis and data-driven insights for some of the most complex, sensitive missions in government. For over five decades, SPA has partnered with clients across the defence, intelligence, and homeland security markets to help inform national security decisions. SPA employs more than 2,200 people worldwide with 15 office locations across the US, UK and Australia.

CEO of Proximity Zoe Lynam will take the helm as Managing Director of SPA’s Australian operations, leading the combined team of 130+ employees across Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

“We’re proud of the name we’ve earned in the Australian market, and SPA is a natural fit given our shared commitment to integrity and client service as well as SPA’s deep defence and technology expertise. We look forward to a bright future with a global company of SPA’s calibre,” said Lynam. 

SPA Australia has worked with the Australian Department of Defence since 2010 and, with a highly qualified and security-cleared workforce, provides contemporary military operational and analytic experience, access to advanced modelling and analysis tools, and complete objectivity with no commercial interest in the analytic results.

SPA CEO Rich Sawchak sees this announcement as a key milestone in SPA’s strategic growth trajectory and global presence. 

“Proximity is a sought-after and highly respected multidisciplinary government consultancy with an impressive client base. It has strong legal, commercial and consulting specialisations and will broaden our capabilities. This acquisition reinforces our commitment to Australia and presents an opportunity to further build on our global success,” said Sawchak. 

SPA’s capabilities include modelling and simulation; strategy, policy, and doctrine; national security protection; artificial intelligence, machine learning and decision analytics; future force assessment; acquisition portfolio and program management; systems engineering and integration; and software, cyber security, and cloud.

Proximity Founder Sean King will continue to lead the Commercial practice group and says an important part of the business plan for the past two years has been to find the right growth partner.

“Proximity has always been an ambitious company. This next chapter with SPA is exciting for employees as it broadens opportunities for professional growth. For our clients, it means increased offerings and more diverse services, supporting them to achieve their strategic objectives,” said King.

Proximity is appointed to 20 major federal and state panels, such as the Australian Government Management Advisory Services Panel, the Government Legal Services Panel, and the Defence Support Services Panel, to name a few.

ENDS 

About Proximity 

Proximity is a leading provider of integrated consulting, legal and commercial services to government and large organisations.  

Proximity collaborates with its clients to overcome challenges and achieve excellent outcomes. By creating an exceptional workplace culture, Proximity equips its people with the confidence and knowledge to provide impactful solution for its clients’ needs.  

Proximity has employees across Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

About Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA)

SPA is a premier, independent global advisory and technical services firm supporting complex national security programs and defence priorities. SPA’s portfolio of differentiated capabilities and tools delivers comprehensive support to the most critical programs for combatting threats, influencing long-term strategic priorities, and shaping policies at the highest levels. With over 2,200 professionals, SPA’s employees are subject matter experts in numerous domains, including Land, Undersea, Surface and Air Warfare Operations; Intelligence Community, Radar and Sensor Systems; Unmanned Systems and Counter Systems; Defence Industrial Base and Economic Security; Space Systems; Ballistic Missile Systems; Cybersecurity Analysis and Policy; and Hypersonics. Awards include GovCon Contractor of the Year in 2022, Washington Post Top Workplace consecutively since 2014, and Department of Labor HIRE Vets Gold Medal for the past seven consecutive years. SPA is a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners. For more information: www.spa.com.