NAVFAC Southeast Awards $542.8 Million to Small Businesses

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From Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast exceeded all assigned small business goals for the third consecutive year by awarding $542.8 million in prime contracts to small businesses during fiscal year (FY) 2011, which closed out Sept. 30.

"This demonstrates the command's continuing commitment to ensure maximum practicable opportunity is made for Small Businesses" said NAVFAC Southeast Deputy for Small Business Nelson Smith. "This has been an amazing team effort, and I'm proud to be part of an organization that chooses Small Business as the first option for our contracting requirements".

The amount awarded to small businesses represents over 55 percent of the command's prime contracting dollars. The "small business" breakdown includes: Small Disadvantaged Businesses received $389.2 million (39.9 percent), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) $146.5 million (15 percent), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) $54.4 million (5.6 percent), and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) $129.8 million (13.3 percent).

Smith said these achievements significantly exceed the statutorily mandated goals of 23 percent for Small Business, 5 percent each for SDB and WOSB, and 3 percent for HUBZone and SDVOSB. Additionally, $155.9 million (16 percent) was awarded to Veteran-Owned Small Businesses.

Maximum practicable utilization of small business concerns is a matter of national interest with both social and economic benefits. America's 27 million small businesses employ more that 58 percent of the private work force, generate more than 51 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs.