Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has received national recognition for its commitment to small business partnerships, earning the prestigious 2025 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Services from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The award was presented during National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C., where Small Business Liaison Officer Lisa Tanner accepted the honor on behalf of the organization.
The Eisenhower Award is considered one of the highest distinctions given by the SBA to federal contractors who demonstrate outstanding support of small businesses.
SRNS was one of 53 recipients recognized at the event by SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, with accolades highlighting the role of government contractors in fostering economic growth, according to a press release from SRS.
SRNS Deputy Senior Vice President of Business Services and Chief Contracting Officer Jay Johnson praised the company’s procurement team for its strategic commitment to small business inclusion.
“I’m so proud of the SRNS Supply Chain Management Procurement team for their intentional actions to fully leverage the capability and expertise of our small businesses,” Johnson said.
Since 2018, SRNS has directed $2.6 billion — 66% of its total procurement commitments — toward small businesses, supporting more than 15,700 local and 82,800 regional jobs.
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the company achieved a record $798 million in small business spending.
SRNS also assists small businesses in navigating contract award processes for subcontracting opportunities within the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), according to a press release from SRS.
Lisa Tanner emphasized SRNS’s proactive approach, noting that some buyers award over 93% of their contracts to small businesses in a given month. “We are dedicated to working with and helping small businesses grow, and we take pride in opportunities made available to work with SRNS,” she said.
Senior Business Source Manager for the NNSA Office of Partnership and Acquisition Services Gary Lyttek commended Tanner’s leadership.
“Her efforts directly result in expanded economic growth in American companies – we couldn’t be prouder of her,” Lyttek.
The SRNS Small Business Program’s recent accomplishments include:
- Participating in 21 supplier outreach events in FY24.
- Growing the DOE Mentor-Protégé Program investment from \$400,000 in 2015 to $41 million.
- Launching a supplier portal and maintaining a sourcing database to diversify and streamline procurement.
“By championing small businesses, SRNS creates a more dynamic and resilient business ecosystem,” said SRNS Senior Director of Supply Chain Procurement Dave Dietz. “Earning the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award emphasizes our unwavering commitment to small businesses.”
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a partnership between Fluor and HII, manages operations at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site near Aiken.
