Pictured above, from left to right, are Heidi Timmerman, director of Procurement and Contracts Administration, and Rebecca Crowe, Small Business advocate, both with ORAU, receiving the Facility Management Contractor Small Business Achievement of the Year Award for fiscal year 2013 from John Hale III, director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization for DOE. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

The U.S. Department of Energy has presented Oak Ridge Associated Universities with its Facility Management Contractor Small Business Achievement of the Year award for Fiscal Year 2013. The award recognizes ORAU’s subcontracting achievements with small business suppliers used to support work performed under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education contract that ORAU manages for DOE.

In FY13, ORAU committed to awarding 69 percent of its subcontracts in support of ORISE work to small businesses, and it exceeded that goal when more than 80 percent of subcontracts were awarded to small businesses.

According to DOE’s website, the award winner “recognizes the tangible, annual, organizational results of a DOE facilities management contract. These results are measured in terms of dollars and percentage increases in small business procurement activity as well as policies, programs, and procedures that promote small business use.”

“We are honored to receive this recognition from DOE for our efforts in providing opportunities for small businesses to work with us on critical DOE projects,” said ORAU Chief Executive Officer Andy Page. “We believe very strongly that small businesses are crucial to fueling a strong economy and in building this nation’s entrepreneurial spirit.” [Read more…]