WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary Clay Sell today announced the winners of DOE’s 2006 Secretarial Small Business Awards during a ceremony for its 8th Annual Small Business Conference in Washington, DC.  DOE’s Small Business Awards program was established to recognize performance by departmental offices, facility management contractors and small business joint ventures on an annual basis.

“Everyday, small businesses make major contributions to our economy, and the Department of Energy wants to continue to provide them with opportunities that are beneficial to their success and that advance DOE’s mission.  We encourage small businesses to take advantage of the Department’s multi-million dollar contracting market, and we congratulate recipients of the 2006 Secretary Small Business Awards,” Deputy Secretary Sell said.

This morning, Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman delivered keynote remarks at the 8th Annual Small Business Conference.  There, the Secretary discussed President Bush’s Small Business Agenda, which includes enabling small businesses to participate fully in federal contracts, and DOE’s commitment to that goal.  This Conference features prominent government, corporate and business leaders who discuss ways small businesses can have better access to DOE procurement opportunities.  It also has a Business Exposition, which provides an opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and services to hundreds of corporate and government attendees, including DOE’s prime contractors; and a Matchmaking Forum, which provides a unique opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with procurement representatives from DOE’s prime contractors and learn about over $1 billion in possible subcontracting opportunities during FY 2007.

The following winners received a Secretarial plaque for their dedication and high achievement to encourage small business participation in Fiscal Year 2006:

1. FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
   Recipient:   David W. Hepner, Small Business Program Manager
   DOE’s Savannah River Operations Office
2. MANAGEMENT & OPERATING (M&O) SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM MANAGER OF THE YEAR
   Recipient:  Victor A. Chavez, Small Business Program Manager
   DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories
3. FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
   Recipient:  Assistant Secretary Jim Rispoli
   DOE’s Office of Environmental Management
4. M&O SMALL BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
   Recipient:   Ernest W. Whitaker, Small Business Program Manager
   Oak Ridge Associated Universities
5. FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION AWARD
   Recipient:  Colleen Griffith, Team Leader
   DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Management and Administration
6. M&O SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION AWARD
   Recipient:  Keith Joy, Small Business Program Manager
   UT-Battelle, LLC – DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
7. FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT AWARD
   Recipient:  Assistant Secretary Jim Rispoli
   DOE’s Office of Environmental Management
8. FEDERAL SMALL BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT AWARD
   Recipient:  Frank Armstrong, Small Business Program Manager
   DOE’s Western Area Power Administration
9. M&O SMALL BUSINESS ADVANCEMENT AWARD
   Recipient:  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
   David Chen
   Small Business Program Manager
10. MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ TEAM AWARD-PROTÉGÉ
    Recipient:  Sylvania Media, President
    North Wind, Inc.
    Idaho Falls, Idaho
11. MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ TEAM AWARD – MENTOR
    Recipient:  A.J. Mousseau, Small Business Program Manager
    Bechtel BWXT Idaho
12. SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Betty Jacques, Contractor Coordinator
    Frank’s Supply
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
13. 8(a) SDB SMALL BUSINESS PRIME CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Donn E. Wiese, General Manager
    Tsay Corporation
    San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico
14. WOMAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Misty Mayes, President
    Management Solutions, LLC
    Knoxville, Tennessee
15. HUBZone CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:   Robert Wronski, Vice President
    Zenex Precision Products
    Paterson, New Jersey
16. SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Robert Fitton, Vice President of Government Services
    Excalibur Associates, Inc.
    Alexandria, Virginia
17. SMALL BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION FIRM OF THE YEAR
    Recipient: Mary Foster, President
    TEF Construction Inc.
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
18. SMALL BUSINESS SERVICE FIRM OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Misty Mayes, President
    Management Solutions, LLC
    Knoxville, Tennessee
19. SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURING FIRM OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:  Larry Demier
    State of the Art, Inc.
    State College, Pennsylvania
20. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY FIRM OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:   William D. Barham, Vice President
    Holman’s Inc.
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
21. SBIR/STTR FIRM OF THE YEAR
    Recipient:   Dr. Charles Kolb
    Aerodyne Research Inc.
    Billerica, Massachusetts

DOE’s Annual Small Business Conference runs June 26-28 at the Washington Hilton Hotel.  Read additional information on the Small Business conference and contracting with DOE.

*NOTE: DOE’s Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Outreach, Theresa Speake, will be available throughout the conference to discuss the Department’s Small Business program and President Bush’s Small Business Agenda.  Please contact Rita Solon at (240) 751-2810 to schedule an interview.

Media contact(s):
Julie Ruggiero, (202) 586-4940