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Secretary Chu met with 160 small business CEOs July 26 at the Minority Business RoundTable (MBRT) in Washington, D.C. MBRT is a national nonprofit organization that represents African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and women CEOs of the top minority-owned companies in America. The organization provides companies an avenue to expand their access to capital and contracting opportunities. The professional relationships that MBRP formed over the years has tremendously impacted the partnerships established between the federal government and the MBRT entrepreneurs.

Like MBRT, Secretary Chu and the Department of Energy are committed to increasing the contracting opportunities awarded to small and disadvantaged businesses. In his comments during their luncheon, Secretary Chu expressed the Department's charge to support the efforts of small businesses across the country. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, promoting job growth and economic activity. The future of American energy heavily relies on the expertise and innovation of small businesses in expanding our economy and competiveness in the global marketplace. The Department is a strong advocate for small businesses and their advances in manufacturing in the energy sector.

Following Secretary Chu's comments, the Department of Energy hosted a special session on how small businesses can increase their access to capital through government contracts. As any business owner will tell you, finding ways to access capital can be a huge challenge to many struggling businesses. By partnering with MBRT, we are confident that we will continue to expand our working relationships with small businesses around the country and provide the resources they need to do business with us.