Savannah River Site to Bring More Local Small Businesses Opportunities Through a Recovery Act Small Business Forum

SRS Recovery Act Project pumps $142 million in contracts to small businesses thus far – more to come

(Aiken, SC) Oct. 15, – Bringing new opportunities for local small businesses at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) will be the focus of a Small Business Forum on November 2nd to be held in Augusta, Ga. The event is a proactive effort to assure small businesses have the opportunity to secure contracts related to supporting Recovery Act projects at the DOE facility. The event will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Augusta Marriott.

“We want to assure that any small business in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) has the opportunity to bid on contracts tied to the Recovery Act at SRS,” said Jeffrey M. Allison, DOE's Savannah River Operations Office Manager. “This forum will allow procurement representatives of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) and Savannah River Remediation (SRR) to meet directly with small business representatives to accelerate the awarding of new contracts to small businesses.”

The Recovery Act Small Business Forum is expected to draw scores of local small business representatives interested in securing contracts to support $1.6 billion in Recovery Act projects at SRS. Recovery Act projects are projected to be completed by September 2011.

“SRS has already awarded Recovery Act contracts valued at $142 million to small businesses. I expect to see that number to continue to grow through the life of the Recovery Act at SRS,” explained Allison. “The forum is the one more opportunity for local small businesses to learn how they can be part of the economic recovery in the region. Through September, about half of the small business contracts awarded have gone to small businesses in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA).”

“SRS is fulfilling the purpose of the Recovery Act,” said Garry Flowers, President and CEO of SRNS, the management and operations contractor at SRS. “We are stimulating the local economy through contracts with local businesses. These contracts are having a ripple effect in creating new jobs within the business sector. SRS has also retained or created about 2,200 jobs thus far to accelerate on-site clean up projects. Thus, we are completing worthwhile projects designed to reduce the footprint of the site and bringing new economic opportunities to the CSRA.”

The forum will also include representatives of SRR, assigned $200 million in Recovery Act work at the site. “We are ramping up our procurement activities for our project and will have procurement representatives at the forum,” said Jim French, President and Project Manager for SRR.

The event will include a panel discussion with local small business owners who have been successful in landing Recovery Act contracts. ‘Matchmaking Sessions’ will enable small business representatives to meet with procurement buyers to discuss their products and services with the buyers. An overview of upcoming procurements set aside for small businesses will also be reviewed. A luncheon with a special guest speaker is also planned.

It is important that small businesses wishing to attend the forum register early for the event. This is an easy process. Go online to www.srs.gov/recovery/smallbiz and complete the form and submit. Space is limited and participation will be on a first-come, first-served basis.”

SRNS will e-mail to businesses that have submitted their business as a interested supplier information on the small business forum. Information will also be sent to those businesses via U.S. Mail.