Matt Butsick has been named the 2022 winner of the General Counsel Legal Excellence Award, which recognizes the highest standards of legal acumen and scholarship, integrity, ethics, and achievement that support the accomplishment of the NNSA missions.

Butsick was nominated for his “exemplary service, advice and legal acumen in achieving a major goal that will assist NNSA’s program offices in executing their national security missions,” by the Office of Partnership & Acquisition Services.

“Matt has shown unwavering dedication and keen legal perceptiveness during his time with the NNSA,” said Tim Fischer, NNSA General Counsel. “We wanted to recognize him for his efforts, specifically of the last several years working to get DPAS authority for the NNSA, which benefits the entire enterprise.”

Over the last five years, he worked with PAS personnel to obtain a new formal Defense Priorities and Allocations System authority approval for NNSA to prioritize national defense-related contracts/orders throughout the U.S supply chain to support military, energy, homeland security, emergency preparedness, and critical infrastructure requirements. Butsick worked extensively with the Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, DPAS Board, and various entities behind the scenes, advocating for the NNSA’s formal authority.

The Department of Commerce granted NNSA and DOE official DPAS authority in October 2021, marking a major achievement allowing NNSA to place “DO” and “DX” rated orders helping program offices keep their projects on schedule, directly supporting DOD’s missions. A “DO” rating ensures production priority over unrated orders, such as commercial projects, and “DX” places priority over both “DO” and unrated orders under the Defense Production Act.

Butsick was presented the award at the annual NNSA General Counsel Training Meeting, held this year at the new John A Gordon facility in Albuquerque, on Sept. 28, 2022.

“It’s an honor to receive this award in recognition of my work within the NNSA.  The success I have experienced is merely a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of the personnel I support, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the NNSA’s missions,” Butsick said.