On Nov. 21, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) and the Department of Energy’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) co-hosted a virtual forum to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to hiring veteran-owned small businesses.
Over 250 participants joined the forum, led by SRNS Deborah Tyler and Jana Chavous, to discuss opportunities and strategies for doing business with SRNS.
According to a press release from SRNS, the event underscored the alliance between SRNS and OSDBU in their mission to champion veteran-owned small businesses, contributing to national defense and economic growth.
“SRNS is proud of its longstanding partnership with OSDBU,” said Jay Johnson, SRNS deputy senior vice president of Business Services and former Air Force captain. “To advance our nation’s defense capabilities, we look for new, innovative businesses that bring fresh perspectives.”
Johnson also said small businesses’ success translates into greater value for Department of Energy (DOE) customers and will unlock new opportunities across the complex.
During the forum, key speakers from the DOE, SRNS, Savannah River Mission Completion, and Fluor provided insights into government contracting, compliance requirements and upcoming project scopes for fiscal year 2025.
Dave Dietz, SRNS Procurement senior director and former Navy captain, proudly shared SRNS’ record-breaking commitment of $798 million to small businesses and $141 million to service-disabled and veteran-owned small businesses in FY24.
“We encourage small businesses to contribute to our upcoming projects supporting DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration, such as new building constructions and a decade-long expansion plan,” said Dietz.
Dietz also said veteran business owners are often well-equipped with leadership, logistical skills and operational experience, which are transferable to industries such as contracting, construction and security.
Ron Pierce, director of OSDBU, DOE, shared that the organization’s awards to small businesses jumped from $8 billion in FY22 to over $12.2 billion in FY24 and that they are ready to meet ambitious goals for FY25.
Lisa Tanner then introduced the new SRNS Supplier Portal with Stratagon, designed for supplier self-registration and opportunity forecasting, set to launch in 2025. She also introduced the “Supplier Relationship Scorecard” pilot platform aimed at improving supplier performance through qualitative and quantitative factors.
“We take pride in giving veteran-owned businesses another way to serve our nation, now as entrepreneurs,” said Tanner. “Their unique traits, like discipline and mission commitment, are invaluable to our industry and national security.”
