Changes in Lab procurement should aid regional companies

Contact: John Gustafson, (505) 665-9197 (00-018)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Feb. 9, 2000 -- The Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory is changing its procurement operations to increase opportunities for regional small businesses and to make the Laboratory a better customer for small businesses.

"The changes we are putting into effect are consistent with Lab Director John Browne's directive to promote economic development in the region," said Joe Salgado, deputy Laboratory director for Business Administration and Outreach. "There are a number of ways in which we need to improve interactions between the Lab and regional small businesses. The changes we're making are based on what we've learned from a review of our current practices and from listening to small businesses about their experiences working with the Lab."

Specific changes Salgado directed be implemented include:

• Elevating the Laboratory's Small Business Office from the Procurement Group to report directly to the Business Operations Division director;
• Assigning procurement authority to SBO to enhance opportunities for regional small businesses to contract with the Laboratory; and
• Appointing a new director for the Small Business Office, a process currently underway.

The Laboratory also is instituting comprehensive in-house training for buyers to ensure their understanding and support regarding the importance of subcontracting with regional small businesses.

In addition to making changes in the procurement operation, Salgado is establishing a position in the Laboratory's Ombuds Office to provide a confidential, neutral party to assist small businesses with concerns about procurement, technology transfer and other topics. A special Ombuds hotline ((505) 667-9370) allows companies to call and acquire help in dealing with issues they cannot resolve otherwise.

"This is just the start," Salgado said. "We'll continuously evaluate how we are doing at improving and increasing opportunities for regional small businesses, including minority-owned and women-owned businesses. We want to engage in effective communications and be responsive to removing identified impediments to small companies doing business with us."

The Laboratory is organizing a conference, scheduled for March 14 in Española, to inform small businesses about the changes in procurement operations and to provide strategies, tools and workshops that improve the competitiveness of regional and other small and minority businesses.

A planned series of workshops following the conference will focus on specific aspects of procurement and contracting opportunities, such as construction and architect/engineering services, Just-In-Time contracting and teaming strategies and techniques.

To provide an ongoing source of information to the small-business community, the Laboratory is building a new Web page that will present information on upcoming contracts and requests for proposals, as well as other, related information. The Laboratory also is creating a news bulletin that will present the same information, ensuring that businesses without Internet access also receive it.

"We intend with these changes to make the Lab more accessible and our procurement requirements and processes more consistent for small and minority businesses that want to provide us goods or services," said Salgado.

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