Savannah River Nuclear Solutions’ (SRNS) Small Business Programs team has earned its fifth recognition of fiscal year 2025, as Lisa Tanner was named the Facility Management Contractor Small Business Program Manager of the Year by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
The award honors Tanner’s “energetic and forward-thinking efforts in working with and advocating for small businesses,” according to a press release from SRNS.
The accolade is part of the DOE’s Annual Small Business Awards Program, which recognizes federal and contractor staff for promoting the success of small businesses across the agency.
In fiscal year 2024, SRNS committed $798 million in procurements to small businesses — 66.4% of its total procurements and well above the DOE’s 50% benchmark.
“I’m amazed by Lisa’s ability to transform our supplier engagement,” said SRNS Business Services Deputy Senior Vice President and Chief Contracting Officer Jay Johnson. “She championed the use of small businesses in our most critical scopes, resulting in a record spend in FY24.”
Johnson said Tanner also leveraged small business innovation to deliver a dynamic supply chain risk management tool and supplier portal, which will enable future success.
Under Tanner’s leadership, the team achieved a 9% increase in small business utilization, redirecting $65 million in procurements from large businesses, according to a press release from SRNS.
Highlights included a 66% increase in Women-Owned Small Business awards to $367 million, a 63% increase in HUBZone Small Business awards to $124 million, and an 85% increase in Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business awards to \$141 million.
SRNS also reportedly doubled its participation in the DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program and launched new tools to improve supplier diversity and transparency.
“Lisa continues to exhibit the highest degree of dedication and commitment to the small business community since the Site’s landlord transition from Environmental Management to NNSA,” said Gary Lyttek, senior business source manager for the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration. “She is an asset to herself, SRS, and NNSA’s Small Business Programs.”
Tanner said she is proud of the team’s success in helping small businesses navigate federal procurement.
“At SRNS, we are passionate about supporting the growth of small businesses. We are thrilled by the opportunities we have facilitated for these enterprises to connect with us,” she said. “I’m immensely proud of our team’s efforts to help small businesses navigate the procurement process and drive economic and innovative advancements.”
Earlier this fiscal year, SRNS Small Business Programs also received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence and Southeast Region Small Business Subcontractor of the Year honors, as well as industry recognition from Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions manages operations at the Savannah River Site near Aiken.
