EM Tribal Affairs Program Manager Jill Conrad shakes hands with Stacia Greene, a Nez Perce tribal small business owner, and greets other Reservation Economic Summit 2021 attendees.
EM Tribal Affairs Program Manager Jill Conrad shakes hands with Stacia Greene, a Nez Perce tribal small business owner, and greets other Reservation Economic Summit 2021 attendees.

LAS VEGAS – EM officials met with representatives of tribal-owned businesses and Alaska Native corporations to discuss how they can support the cleanup program during the recent Reservation Economic Summit (RES) 2021.

EM Small Business Program Manager Anne Marie Bird highlighted subcontracting as a way to enhance opportunities for small businesses. She also stressed the importance of pre-solicitation and pre-proposal conferences as key networking avenues.

Bird noted the importance of EM’s collaborations with Indian Country businesses, as several of EM’s cleanup sites are located near sovereign tribal nations and impact Indian lands and resources. She also highlighted potential contracting opportunities for those Indian Country businesses.

“Contracts with these businesses allow EM to tap into unique tribal expertise,” Bird said. “RES provides an unparalleled platform to unite native-owned businesses with EM.”

Marking its 52nd year, RES is sponsored by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. The summit brings together tribal leaders, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, state and local officials, and CEOs.

“RES is the best venue for engaging with tribal businesses who are interested in working with DOE,” EM Tribal Affairs Program Manager Jill Conrad said. “We see businesses we might not otherwise be aware of and can talk with them about opportunities and the federal contracting process.”