The ORNL Small Business Awards were presented Friday, June 14, 2024. Hosted by ORNL’s Small Business Programs Office in BSD’s Contracts Division, the awards recognize the capabilities and contributions of six local small business subcontractors and one staff member who supported the mission of ORNL during fiscal year 2023. The recipients include:
Absolute Access, a women-owned small business located in Knoxville was recognized for outstanding customer service in access control and badging products. ORNL staff members said the company routinely goes above and beyond to provide fast service, deliver shipments, intercept supply issues, and mitigate potential delays.
ARMEC, a small manufacturing engineering business located in Oak Ridge, was recognized for outstanding performance on the US ITER project. Technical staff said the company has repeatedly demonstrated capability in precision manufacturing, proactively managing their project deliverables and schedules while meeting very tight tolerances and complex designs on state-of-the-art first-of-a-kind components.
City-State, a HUBZone small business located in Knoxville, was recognized for exceptional environmental, waste, and transportation services during the FY23 phase of the Legacy Materials Disposition Effort (LMDE). ORNL technical staff said the company displays hard-working and proactive leadership, demonstrates superior customer service, and has a solid history of innovation coupled with cost savings.
Scientific Sales, Inc. (SSI), a small disadvantaged, women-owned business located in Oak Ridge, was recognized for extraordinary customer service and significant value as a provider of lab supplies, chemicals, and instruments used regularly by multiple departments and laboratories throughout the ORNL complex. SSI’s commitment to deliver, cost savings, customer, service, and competitive pricing saved ORNL more than $787,000.
Stokes Electric Company (Stokes), a small business located in Knoxville, was recognized for superior customer service, clear communication, and high satisfaction marks from ORNL users. Out of ORNL’s vendor catalog electrical suppliers, Stokes was the highest performer in FY23 with 54% of catalog spend and 56% of total catalog transactions. The company achieved a 98% on-time delivery rate, exceeding its goal of 95% by three points. ORNL staff and local companies describe Stokes as, “a great resource,” “top-notch,” and “overall great vendor.”
Red Wire Technologies (RWT), a women-owned small business in Knoxville, was recognized for support of ORNL’s national security efforts through innovative contributions to wireless communication technology. The custom engineering company’s work has increased resilient communications capabilities through software enhancements, including migrating bulky, heavy, and barely portable off-the-shelf hardware to small, compact, and power-efficient devices.
Landon Hunley, a Procurement Officer, was named ORNL Small Business Advocate of the Year. Hunley is being honored for his consistent support for small businesses in his procurement activities, including setting aside eight new construction opportunities that resulted in more than $11 million in new construction awards to small businesses in FY23.