Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) welcomed nearly 400 small businesses, suppliers, and resource groups at its annual Small Business Opportunity Day, emphasizing the role of partnerships in supporting national defense and environmental management missions.
The event featured 25 Savannah River Site (SRS) stakeholders, six mentor-protégé teams, and seven small business resource groups. Participants explored procurement opportunities spanning infrastructure, information technology, machining, warehousing, engineering and administrative services.
Jay Johnson, deputy senior vice president of Business Services and chief contracting officer, described the scale of current projects.
“We are entering a new era with historic levels of activity,” Johnson said. “Some areas are experiencing gradual increases, while others are seeing steep growth. There’s a lot of work to go around, requiring innovation, resources, and new capabilities.”
Johnson added how these efforts create a large demand for procurement and supply chain solutions across all levels, from advanced construction services to everyday business services.
“Together, we can achieve what no single organization can accomplish alone,” he said.
Supply Chain Strategists Jana Chavous and Rachel Boyd, who organized the event, noted that attendees traveled from as far as New York and Washington to participate.
Chavous highlighted the value of direct engagement as meaningful one-on-one conversations allow internal teams to share upcoming procurement opportunities while learning about the innovative solutions small businesses bring to the table.
“This level of direct engagement strengthens our supply chain, fosters collaboration, and supports SRNS’ mission of delivering safe, efficient operations for DOE and NNSA,” Chavous said.
Boyd echoed the importance of small business partnerships.
“Small businesses are integral problem-solvers and innovators who help SRNS stay responsive,” she said. “This event created long-lasting partnerships and strengthened the bridge between small businesses and the Site’s enduring missions that keep our nation secure.”
Keynote speaker Freddie Grimm, senior vice president of Strategic Planning and Integration, underscored the urgency of building supplier networks.
“There is a national need right in our backyard,” Grimm said. “NNSA is pushing a sense of urgency, and we have heard this message loud and clear. We cannot self-manage and self-perform this amount of work.”
Through strategic planning initiatives, Grimm said the organization is identifying new scopes, securing appropriate funding, and working with each contractor to connect with local businesses to exceed project delivery.
Attendees also shared the event’s value. Edward Littrell of Glory Professional Facility Services said it offered insight into the specific demands of SRNS projects.
“Today was particularly insightful as we engaged with key department heads, helping us recognize the significant demands at SRNS,” Littrell said. “As a women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, we are ready to make an impactful contribution.”
For Erik Vogeley, senior vice president of operations at Spectra Tech Inc., networking was key.
“Our capabilities with small engineering projects have expanded significantly,” Vogeley said. “We already have a Supply Chain Management Center contract for preliminary design work, making us well-equipped to contribute effectively to SRS missions. My focus today was on networking, and it’s great to see such a diverse group from SRNS here.”
SRNS encouraged businesses interested in future opportunities to visit its Supplier Portal.
