Annual Small Business Awards Program

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) is pleased to announce the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Annual Small Business Awards Program. Awards will be made to program elements, power marketing administrations, facility management contractors, small business program managers (SBPMs), and small businesses that have demonstrated exceptional performance during FY 2023. Attached are guidelines for submission and the FY 2023 award category descriptions.

Program and Background: DOE seeks to continue growing its engagement with small businesses to further the Department's missions. DOE works to meet its Small Business Administration (SBA)-established goals for four socioeconomic categories: Small Disadvantaged, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), and Women-Owned small businesses. Additionally, the Department’s Mentor-Protégé Program is a vehicle for cultivating small businesses for DOE missions.

DOE’s Annual Small Business Awards Program recognizes the outstanding performance of people and organizations that promote and expand the Department’s use of small businesses. The awards will be presented to small businesses, program elements, SBPMs, contracting officers, and Federal Management Contractors (FMCs).

Participation: Participation is open to DOE program elements and power marketing administrations, facility management contractors, small business program managers, small business prime contractors, Federal and contractor acquisition personnel, and DOE mentors and protégés. Note: Western Area Power Administration and Southwestern Power Administration are the only power administrations eligible to participate in the awards program.

Submitting a Nomination: Below are general guidance on submitting a nomination.

Nominations are for DOE personnel (Federal or contractor) and small businesses that work with the Department or Management and Operating (M&O) contractors.
Valid nominations shall only be submitted through Federal or contractor SBPMs, contracting officers and specialists. A list of DOE’s SBPMs may be found on OSDBU’s website: Small Business Program Managers (SBPMs) Directory.
Please consider the following when writing a nomination:
- Focus on FY 2023 accomplishments only.
- Organize your nomination the same as the criteria for the award.
- Relate actions with results and mission accomplishments.
- Use statistics to support accomplishments. Do not attach data tables or charts.
- The character limit is 3,935 (this includes spaces).
A company or an individual may be nominated for only one award category. For example, company GoBo, Inc. is a Woman-Owned Small Business. You may choose to nominate GoBo, Inc. in either the Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Mentor of the Year or Protégé of the Year award category.
Award nominations will be accepted from January 8 through February 23, 2024.
The SBPMs are responsible for initially assessing any nominations received from outside participants and for ensuring that the nominations are submitted in a timely manner by 11:59 PM (EST) February 8, 2024.
Small business entities must be in good standing with the Department of Energy and with Federal procurement guidelines to include the Excluded Parties Listing System (EPLS). The nominator must verify and validate that the small business has an up-to-date or current reporting status in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), has a positive report, and fulfills the small business category for which it is nominated.
A nominee for any of the small business award categories must own or operate a business defined as “small” for its primary industry under the applicable SBA size standards. Nominees must also be residents of the United States or its territories. Small businesses that are nominated must comply with all applicable Federal laws.

Evaluation Committee: An Evaluation Committee will be selected to review, rate, and determine the award recipients. The committee will consist of DOE senior-level government employees. Each nomination will be evaluated by the committee based on a performance grading scale. To ensure objectivity, OSDBU recuses Evaluation Committee members from voting on nominees that work within their program office.

FY 2023 Annual Small Business Awards Program: Award Categories

Awards will be made to program elements, and eligible power marketing administrations, facility management contractors, small business program managers, and small businesses that have demonstrated exceptional performance during FY 2023.

Federal Small Business Program Manager of the Year

Description: Recognizes an individual who embodies the many facets of an energetic, forward-thinking, DOE small business program manager. His or her efforts far exceed expectations in working with, advocating for, and assisting to increase utilization of small businesses.

Criteria: Meets or exceeds the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) Scorecard small business goals and/or the following criteria:

Implements strategies to increase the value of competitively awarded contracts to small businesses:
Advocates and obtains top-level agency commitment to small business contracting.
Executes significant events to increase small business participation in the procurement process.
Demonstrates that policies and procedures are in place to ensure compliance with prime forecast goals or subcontracting plans and attainment of related goals.
Plans training for contracting staff/managers to better execute small business/socioeconomic procurements.
Collaborates with SBA, other agencies, or community groups on formulation of small business procurement policy initiatives.
Submits all plans and reports due to SBA.
Creates/Implements new outcome-focused initiatives that enhance competencies and capabilities of small business supplier base.
Develops new markets for small business – identifying and creating opportunities for small business participation within programs not previously performed by small business.

Federal Contracting Officer of the Year

Description: Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding small business achievements as a contracting officer; demonstrated ability to identify and overcome challenges; and continuously seeks self-development and leadership opportunities to promote socioeconomic programs.

Criteria:

Collaborates effectively between the OSDBU, local small business program manager, and local SBA procurement center representative – leading to new small business contract awards.
Exceptional pre-award and/or post-award actions related to DOE’s Small Business Program with results supporting overall DOE mission and objectives.
Communicates the importance of DOE Small Business First Policy (DOE P 547.1A) to all program office clients.
Promotes Category Management solutions consistent with the Small Business Act and other statutory socioeconomic responsibilities.
Expands subcontracting opportunities throughout the solicitation process and negotiates challenging subcontracting goals.

Federal Procurement Director of the Year

Description: Holds the position of managing the operations of a federal procurement organization for an operations office or program office (title such as procurement director, purchasing director, Head of Contracting Activity, etc.). The successful candidate has displayed leadership and commitment to maximizing small businesses utilization through policies, procedures, outreach, and creating an atmosphere of “small business first” throughout his or her organization. Candidate selection criteria will be based on a balance of objective results-oriented measures and created/implemented policies, programs and practices promoting small business.

Criteria:

Dollar and/or percentage increases in small business obligations.
Percentage increase of small business awards versus large business awards from the previous year.
Significant small business contract awards supporting line missions or support functions.
New or updated socioeconomic operating policies and programs.
Procedures or systems that focus program offices and buyers to consider small business first.
Building community and small business development through outreach efforts.
Creating or expanding small business use in non-traditional functional areas.

Facility Management Contractor (FMC) Small Business Program Manager of the Year

Description: Recognizes an individual within a DOE facility who embodies the many facets of an energetic, forward-thinking small business program manager. His or her efforts far exceed expectations in working with, advocating for, and assisting in the increased utilization of small businesses.

Criteria:

Implements strategies to increase the value of competitively awarded contracts to small businesses.
Advocates and obtains top-level agency commitment to small business contracting.
Executes significant events to increase small business participation in the procurement process.
Demonstrates that small business data is accurately reported in Federal Procurement Data System–Next Generation (FPDS-NG).
Demonstrates that policies and procedures are in place to ensure compliance with prime forecast goals or subcontracting plans and attainment of related goals.
Plans training for contracting staff/managers to better execute small business/socioeconomic procurements.
Collaborates with SBA, other agencies, or community groups on formulation of small business procurement policy initiatives.
Submits all plans and reports due to SBA.
Creates/Implements new outcome-focused initiatives that enhance competencies and capabilities of small business supplier base.
Develops new markets for small business identifying and creating opportunities for small business participation within programs not previously performed by small business.

FMC Contracting Officer of the Year

Criteria:

Collaborates effectively between the OSDBU, local small business program manager, and local SBA procurement center representative – leading to new small business contract awards.
Exceptional pre-award and/or post-award actions related to DOE’s Small Business Program with results supporting overall DOE mission and objectives.
Communicates the importance of Small Business First Policy (DOE P 547.1A) to all FMC program clients within his/her site/laboratory.
Leverages market research tools in partnership with the site Small Business Program Manager to expand small business subcontracting opportunities.

FMC Procurement Director of the Year

Description: Holds the position of managing the operations of a procurement organization for a management and operating contractor. The successful candidate has displayed leadership and commitment to maximizing small businesses utilization through policies, procedures, outreach, and creating an atmosphere of “small business first” throughout his or her organization. Candidate selection will be based on a balance of objective results-oriented measures and created/implemented policies, programs and practices promoting small business.

Criteria:

Dollar and/or percentage increases in small business obligations (may use Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS), Individual Subcontracting Report (ISR), Summary Subcontracting Report (SSR) information or other fact-based data systems).
Percentage increase of small business contract awards supporting line missions or support functions.
New or updated socioeconomic operating policies.
Procedures or systems that focus program offices and buyers to consider small business first.
Building community and small business development through outreach efforts.
Creating or expanding small business use in non-traditional functional areas.

Mentor of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the efforts of a DOE Mentor that has exceeded the requirements of their Mentor-Protégé agreement. These results have enhanced the protégés ability to successfully compete for federal contracts.

Criteria:

Accomplishments exceed the Mentor/Protégé agreement.
Protégé demonstrates growth and self-empowerment through the Mentor/Protégé program.\

Protégé of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the significant development of a DOE Protégé that has enhanced its ability to successfully compete for federal contracts through its participation in the DOE Mentor/Protégé program.

Criteria:

Accomplishments exceed the Mentor/Protégé agreement.
Protégé demonstrates growth and self-empowerment through the Mentor/Protégé program.

8(a)/Small Disadvantaged Business of the Year*

Description: This award recognizes the outstanding performance of a small business, certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) and/or Small Disadvantaged Business programs, for their exceptional performance in activities contributing to core DOE mission accomplishments.

Criteria: Recipient excels beyond expectations or contract requirements by providing:

Creative or unique solutions to DOE requirements.
Extraordinary customer service, and/or significant value (schedule and budget related).
Productivity and efficiency gains.
Innovative ideas to the specific project and/or task being performed.
Cost, time, and manpower savings for the Department.

Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the exceptional performance of a Woman-Owned small business directly contributing to the accomplishments of core DOE mission objectives and requirements.

Criteria: Recipient excels beyond expectations or contract requirements by providing:

Creative or unique solutions to DOE requirements.
Extraordinary customer service, and/or significant value (schedule and budget related).
Productivity and efficiency gains.
Innovative ideas to the specific project and/or task being performed.
Cost, time, and manpower savings for the Department.

HUBZone Small Business of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the excellence of a small business, certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration as located and operating within a HUBZone, directly contributing to core DOE mission accomplishments.

Criteria: Recipient excels beyond expectations or contract requirements by providing:

Creative or unique solutions to DOE requirements.
Extraordinary customer service, and/or significant value (schedule and budget related).
Productivity and efficiency gains.
Innovative ideas to the specific project and/or task being performed.
Cost, time, and manpower savings for the Department.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the exceptional performance of a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small business directly facilitating the advancement of core DOE mission objectives and requirements.

Criteria: Recipient excels beyond expectations or contract requirements by providing:

Creative or unique solutions to DOE requirements.
Extraordinary customer service, and/or significant value (schedule and budget related).
Productivity and efficiency gains.
Innovative ideas to the specific project and/or task being performed.
Cost, time, and manpower savings for the Department.

SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year*

Description: Recognizes a U.S. small business that exemplifies the spirit of DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs by strengthening and expanding its high-technology research and development (R&D) competitiveness at the Department and/or in the marketplace. SBIR/STTR small business nominations will be evaluated using demonstrated exceptional performance from time of SBIR/STTR award to the present.

Criteria: Recipient excels at one or more of the following:

Stimulating U.S. technological innovation and enhancing the nation’s return on its DOE SBIR/STTR investment.
Providing the DOE and/or its national laboratories, research facilities, or university research partners the benefits of commercial applications derived from DOE SBIR/STTR funded R&D.
Stimulating U.S. economic growth and/or increasing private-sector commercialization of innovations as a result or in part of DOE SBIR/STTR funded R&D.

Small Business of the Year*

Description: Recognizes the creative, unique, and extraordinary performance of a small business which has significantly and directly impacted core DOE mission objectives and requirements.

Criteria: Recipient excels beyond expectations or contract requirements by providing:

Creative or unique solutions to DOE requirements.
Extraordinary customer service, and/or significant value (schedule and budget related).
Productivity and efficiency gains.
Innovative ideas to the specific project and/or task being performed.
Cost, time, and manpower savings for the Department.

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*All small business entities must be in good standing with the U.S. Department of Energy and with all Federal procurement guidelines to include the Excluded Parties Listing System (EPLS). The nominator must verify and validate that the small business entity has an up-to-date or current reporting status in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) that reflects a positive report that is currently noted as a small business for the category in which it is being nominated.

A nominee for any of the small business award categories must own or operate a business defined as “small” for its primary industry under the applicable SBA size standards. Nominees must also be residents of the United States or its territories. Small businesses that are nominated must comply with all applicable Federal laws.

The Annual Small Business Awards program is an excellent opportunity to recognize federal or contractor employees for their performance and dedication. The FY 2023 Annual Small Business Awards program will be facilitated electronically, and awards will be shipped to each award recipient. Nominations will be accepted from January 8 through February 23, 2024.

To obtain access to the awards submission’s portal, please contact Anita Anderson, Public and Outreach Engagement Specialist (anita.anderson@hq.doe.gov).
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FY 2022 Annual Small Business Awards - Award Recipients

The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU’s) Annual Small Business Awards Program recognizes the outstanding performance of people and organizations that promote and expand the Department’s use of small businesses. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Annual Small Business Awards ceremony took place on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, during the 2023 DOE Small Business Forum & Expo. The awards were presented by Ron Pierce, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. Below are the award recipients of the FY 2022 Annual Small Business Awards Program.

1. Federal Small Business Program Manager of the Year:

Award Recipient: Gary Lyttek, Senior Business Source Manager, National Nuclear Security Administration, Washington, DC

Awardee Description: During FY 2022, Gary Lyttek implemented strategies to increase the value of competitively award contracts. Negotiated the highest subcontracting goals for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) M&O contractors (54%) and exceeded sSRS goals – over half of DOE’s M&O achievements ($3.9B). Gary was instrumental in revising sources sought and requests for information templates to ensure full consideration is given to small businesses first, supporting 82 new awards. Gary led annual negotiations with M&O partners’ small business subcontracting goals at the DOE-Headquarters level. Triennially, Gary evaluated M&O partners’ progress towards goals through NNSA’s Contractor Performance & Evaluation Plan process which resulted in NNSA’s M&O award fee determinations. The NNSA M&O contractor team exceeded all DOE/SBA negotiated goals (SB=52%; SDB=12%; WOSB=9%; HUBZone=5%; VOSB=7%; SDV=5%) = $3.9B.

2. Federal Contracting Officer of the Year:

Award Recipient: Kyle Krzywicki, Federal Contracting Officer, National Nuclear Security Administration, Washington, DC

Awardee Description: Ms. Krzywicki is the Contracting Officer on the NNSA Technical, Engineering, and Professional Services (TEPS) III Blank Purchase Agreement (BPA). Kyle successfully awarded nine $400M BPAs to small business-led teams with a total value of $3.6B. Her efforts have significantly expanded the NNSA TEPSIII BPA work scope to include small businesses under NAICS 541715, Research & Development in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences with a size standard of 1,000 employees. The TEPS III BPA has been marketed across DOE and NNSA. Many offices are now utilizing these BPAs for a wide range of services. Under TEPS III there are additional set-aside opportunities for Service-Disabled-Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Women-Owned Small Businesses. The predecessor BPA, TEPS II, has cumulative task order ceilings in excess of $1B.

3. Federal Procurement Director of the Year:

Award Recipient: Brittany Decker, Acquisition Strategy, Planning and Construction Team Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, Colorado

Awardee Description: Ms. Decker displays true leadership, determination, and commitment to maximizing small business utilization at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Her thoughtful overhaul of policies, procedures, and outreach in 2022 led to results – reversing a downward trend in external relationships after numerous administrative changes in the NREL Small Business Program. Ms. Decker began a complete policy and procedure overhaul, and changed the documentation processes, giving more authority to the approval of small business awards under $250,000. As a result from her team’s efforts in 2022, compared with 2021, revealed an almost 6% increase in total small business awards, including a 5% increase in women-owned business support, an almost 4% increase in small, disadvantaged support, an over 3% increase in veteran-owned business support, as well as increase in HUBZone and disabled service veteran support.

4. Facility Management Contractor (FMC) Small Business Program Manager of the Year:

Award Recipient: Jonathan Benjamin, Small Business Program Manager, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

This award recognizes an individual within a DOE facility who embodies the many facets of an energetic, forward-thinking small business program manager. His or her efforts far exceed expectations in working with, advocating for, and assisting in the increased utilization of small businesses.

Awardee Description: Jon implemented strategies to increase the value of awarded subcontracts to small businesses. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) increased spend in 4/5 socioeconomic categories in FY 2022; most notably in HUBZone (15.9%), Veteran (25.8%), and Small Disadvantaged-Veteran (32.6%) categories. Jon executed events to increase small business participating in the procurement process. The majority of his outreach efforts focused on personalized interactions with small businesses. Additionally, Jon implemented new initiatives which enhanced competencies and capabilities of small business supplier base and developed new markets for small businesses. Jon expanded LLNS’ Mentor-Protégé program with the addition of a small business who specializes in environmental, and facilities support services. Additionally, Jon reviewed all requisitions valued over $100K to identify potential new opportunities for small businesses. In FY 2022, Jon reviewed over 900 new award requisitions.

5. FMC Contracting Officer of the Year:

Award Recipient: Y. Sofia Delgadillo Marrufo, Subcontract Manager, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Awardee Description: Sofia, as the IT Subcontractor Manager, has played a key role in providing exceptional service for pre-award/post-award actions related to DOE Small Business Program, which has resulted in increasing the small business supplier bases in support of DOE’s mission needs and objectives. As an IT Subcontractor Manager, and Mentor, she assists in developing and supporting Sandia’s Protégé, CeLeen, LLC, working closely with the IT technical customers in awarding subcontracts to the Protégés. In fact, Sofia has awarded Sandia’s IT Protégé, two $4M Contract Purchase Agreements (CPA), $8 total.

Sofia’s passion and drive to help the Protégés has spread to other areas. Because of her success in awarding subcontracts with CeLeen, LLC, other subcontract manager Mentors lean on her expertise to understand how they can apply her processes to their subcontracts with Sandia’s other Protégés.

6. FMC Procurement Director of the Year:

Award Recipient: Jacque Coleman, Procurement Director, Kansas City National Security Campus managed by Honeywell FM&T, Kansas City, Missouri

Awardee Description: Under Ms. Coleman’s leadership and support, the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) has increased the organization’s ability to put small business first. KCNSC increased small business spend significantly in FY 2022.

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business spend increased 48% from $32M in FY 2021 to $47.4M I FY 2022.
Veteran-Owned Small Business spend increased 24% from $47.6M in FY 2021 to $59M in FY 2022.
HUBZone spend increased 20% from $28.6M in FY 2021 to $34.4M in FY 2022.
Woman-Owned Small Business spend increased 2% from $65.4M tin FY2021 to $66.6M in FY 2022.
Small Business spend increased from $427M in FY 2021 to $429M in FY 2022.
All six of KCNSC’s FY 2022 socioeconomic goals were exceeded!

7. FMC Procurement Director of the Year:

Award Recipient: Shawna Southwick, Supply Chain Senior Manager, Idaho Environmental Coalition, Idaho Falls, Idaho

Awardee Description: The Idaho Environmental Coalition was selected by the DOE to manage cleanup operations at the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) in 2021 with official supervision starting January of 2022. Under Shawna’s leadership, the organization and team flourished. Under the previous contractor, the ICP finished FY 2021 with a 65% attainment and in FY 2022, led by Shawna, ICP accomplished a 69% attainment rate (based on eSRS reporting).

Shawna actively empowers all procurement specialists and subcontract administrators to own the organization’s processes and goals. Senior procurement specialists are included in the small business work and conference attendance. All new hires spent time training with the Small Business Liaison in their second week of employment. New procurement desk manuals with descriptions and processes have broadened the organization’s use and understanding of small businesses. Shawn consistently displays Idaho Environmental Coalition’s core values of doing things right, challenging the accepted, aiming higher, and living inclusion.

8. Mentor of the Year:

Award Recipient: Sandia’s Small Business Mentor-Protégé Program, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Awardee Description: In FY 2022, Sandia’s commitment to increasing small business participation through the Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) resulted in successfully mentoring three protégés (two in construction – Pluma, LLC and Strategic Industry Inc; both service-disabled, veteran-owned small disadvantaged businesses. In FY 2022, Sandia MPP team conducted 109 workshop sessions with 81 mentors supporting the MPP program and workshop efforts. The subcontracts awarded to protégés under Sandia’s MPP program include:

CeLeen, LLC: Two CPAs awarded in the amount of $4M each, $8M total.
Pluma, LLC: CPA was awarded in the amount of $4M.
Strategic Industry, Inc.: CPA was awarded in the amount of $4M.

Sandia’s MPP Program is critical in growing its supplier base with qualified and capable suppliers. We strive to continue to look for ways to maximize opportunities to make them a stronger supplier, ensuring their success with Sandia and the Department.

9. Protégé of the Year:

Award Recipient: Pueblo Alliance, LLC, Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico

Awardee Description: Pueblo Alliance is comprised of two Native American Enterprise Development Corporations, Tsay Services and San Ildeonso Services. Pueblo Alliance has a DOE Mentor-Protégé agreement with Triad. In FY 2022, Pueblo Alliance had over 50 Task Orders for maintenance and construction with varying stages of execution ranging in size from $200K to $3.5M. Pueblo Alliance was selected as a first of its kind to participate in Los Alamos National Laboratory’s (LANL’s) Job Order Contracting Construction Pilot Program. Additionally, they have been a critical player in the Contingent Labor contract and in FY 2022 provided over 90 employees to LANL for varying support functions. Pueblo Alliance has developed and is implementing a pilot program to recruit, develop, and hire new Q-Cleared personnel from the Northern New Mexico region. In FY 2022, Pueblo Alliance provided 20 Q-Cleared personnel to support this mission. Pueblo Alliance has become the solution to a multitude of challenges at LANL through their expertise as a contractor and a New Mexico small business.

10. 8(a)/Small Disadvantaged Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: Chenega Professional & Technical Services, LLC, Anchorage, Alaska

Awardee Description: In FY 2022, Chenega provided tremendous acquisition support services in support of the DOE’s Headquarters National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Partnership and Acquisition Services (NA-PAS) to include contract pre-solicitation, solicitation, post-award, administration, and closeout activities.

Throughout FY 2022, NA-PAS was immersed with the heavy task of moving the Albuquerque Complex to a new facility at the Jordan A. Gordon Complex. In early May 2022, the Specialty Acquisitions Branch required assistance with coordinating the move which included disposition of old contract files to ensure the limited storage space at the new facility was not exceeded. Chenega provided extraordinary customer service and assisted NA-PAS with tracking closed contracts and compiled the details to identify expired contracts and contracts disposition.

11. Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: BC Computer Supply, Inc, dba BC Office Solutions, Land O Lakes, Florida

Awardee Description: BC Office Solutions is a small, woman-owned business that plays a vital role in helping Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) meeting its growing and evolving hardware, software, and IT equipment requirements. In FY 2022, KCNSC procured over $2M in products from BC Office Solutions.

In FY 2022 through all the supply chain challenges, BC Office Solutions remained dedicated and committed to stellar communications and customer support. Their commitment to KCNSC is evident in their On Time Delivery (OTD) performance of 93.85%. To put this metric intro perspective, an 93.85% OTD translates to only 12 late counts out of 195 purchase order commits spanning more than 50,000 purchase order lines.

12. HUBZone Small Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: Wildflower International, Ltd., Santa Fe, New Mexico

Awardee Description: To aid LANL’s mission supporting National Security, Wildflower makes significant investment in a customized Salesforce-based eCommerce site. Wildflower monitors open orders to ensure delivery by the required date. They expedite build status for urgent orders of those at risk of not meeting delivery requirements, ensuring a maximized budget. In FY 2022, Wildflower provided order status notifications for 1,165 order totaling 61,166 items.

For months leading up to fiscal end-of-year, Wildflower increased the review to understand supply chain constraints and expediated all orders in productions ton ensure they met delivery requirements without compromising budget. In FY 2022, Wildflower provided over $35M in equipment with savings from contractual requirements of over $3M by negotiating special pricing with suppliers and passing those savings to LANL.

13. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: TEVET, Greenville, Tennessee

Awardee Description: TEVET plays a key role in meeting DOE requirements in the areas of acquiring and integrating test and measurement equipment systems, and instrumentation. In FY 2022, the KCNSC procured over $8.6M in test and measurement equipment from TEVET.
To support DOE requirements, TEVET created a state-of-the-art eCommerce Marketplace which reduces time associated with order placement within the DOE sites. The TEVET Marketplace allows quotes to be parked and purchase orders to be generated with single touch checkout/approval. Furthermore, TEVET provided superior pricing and delivery to DOE in FY 2022 by leveraging its multi-site agreements.

14. SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: Tiptek, LLC, West Chester, Pennsylvania

Awardee Description: Tiptek, LLC is an innovative small business multiple SBIR awardee that has captured 15% of the world market for nanprobes over the last six years. Tiptek and its work are instrumental in securing the domestic supply chain for semiconductor manufacturing.

In FY 2022, based on SBIR-funded scientific discoveries and technology developments, Tiptek:

Introduced a new product line of advanced Semiconductor Nanoprobe Failure Analysis (SNFA) probes that are more chemically robust and designed specifically for rapid growth of low electron energy scanning electron microscope imaging in the chip industry.
Completed development of and successfully introduced into production a process to etch multiple tungsten wires simultaneously. Tiptek’s new process yields an unprecedented 150-fold increase in production rate.

15. Small Business of the Year:

Award Recipient: Seaway Plastics Engineering, Port Richey, Florida

Awardee Description: Seaway Plastics Engineering (SPE) specializes in high-mix low-volume plastic injection-molded parts. SPE stands out with their innovative solutions for improving On Time Delivery and Lots Accepted Trouble Free, and their improvement of processes and service in support of DOE’s mission.

SPE collaborated with HCNSC Engineering to improve their Lots Accepted Trouble Free metric in FY 2022. The team established a proactive approach to minimize Nonconformance Reports (NCR) by examining historical NCR data of items with future demand, then implemented systemic adjustments to prevent the same NCR for reoccurring. This effort yielded a 13% improvement from FY 2021’s LATF and SPEC achieved an LAFT of 100% during the last three months of FY 2022.

Seaway supports KCNSC with exceptional customer service in the form of direct communication with their Quality, Customer Service, and Management departments, and hosting KCNSC for multiple initiatives.

16. OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award:

Award Recipient: Patrick Simien, Director and Head of Contracting Activity, Office of Headquarters Procurement Services, Office of Management Washington, DC.

Awardee Description: Patrick had served as the co-lead for the Acquisition Forecast Improvement Working Group (AFIWG), an endeavor at helping streamline the DOE, NNSA, and lab acquisition forecasts. His contributions helped maintain the focus that the acquisition forecast improvement deserves. Patrick had also led an effective resolution of Alleged Undue Restrictions, ensuring that small businesses could fairly compete.

17. OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award:

Award Recipient: Anne Marie Bird, Small Business Program Manager, Office of Environmental Management, Cincinnati, OH

Awardee Description: During FY 2022, Anne Marie supported the AFIWG, standing out as a key participant, and had also volunteered EM’s best practice in the discussions. In addition to being part of the AFIWG, Anne Marie participated as a member of the Mentor Protégé Program (MPP) Working Group. She had been and continues to be a champion of the DOE MPP program, providing support, communication, and assistance with retrieving information from mentors to help compile the annual MPP report. Anne Marie also attended, participated in, and supported OSDBU cohosted events.

18. OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award:

Award Recipient: Byron McCollum, Small Business Program Manager, Western Area Power Administration, Lakewood, CO

Awardee Description: Byron had been a vocal member of the AFIWG, providing valuable comments to aid the team in making important incremental improvements to the current forecast. Byron had actively supported posting opportunities for small businesses in the DOE/NNSA acquisition forecast, including awards going to small business for their non-appropriated funded dollars. Byron had also supported OSDBU initiatives in providing upcoming awards to be shared with small businesses during outreach events.

19. OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award:

Award Recipient: Lani MacRae, Small Business Program Manager, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden, CO

Awardee Description: Lani was a vocal member of the AFIWG, providing valuable comments to aid the team in making important incremental improvements to the current forecast. Lani supported new MPP Agreements and bolstered support in new Federal Energy Management Program solicitations/contracts to require MPP participation. Lani also provided her support and assistance in resolving Alleged Undue Restrictions, ensuring that small businesses could fairly compete.

For additional information concerning the Annual Small Business Awards Program, please contact Anita Anderson, Public and Outreach Engagement Specialist at anita.anderson@hq.doe.gov.