Laboratory Small Business Office partners in formation of HUB Zones Program for Northern New Mexico

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., July 30, 2001 -- Small businesses in Northern New Mexico will soon have additional opportunities to provide goods and services to the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory and other federal agencies through the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zones program.

Los Alamos’ Small Business Office, the state Procurement Assistance Program and regional small business development centers partnered to expand the HUB zone program in Northern New Mexico, explained Carlos Chacon of the Small Business Office.

Carla Lujan of the Small Business Office at the Laboratory is one of trainers who will certify businesses in designated HUB zones in a six-county region of Northern New Mexico. Other trainers representing state government and small business advocacy agencies in Taos, Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Española also will certify eligible businesses under the program in those areas.

"The HUB zones contracting program is designed to stimulate economic development in urban and rural areas by creating federal contracting opportunities for small businesses," Chacon said.

Small businesses in so-called HUB zones must, among other things, have 35 percent of their workforce residing in the area where the business is located; be located in a historically underutilized business zone where unemployment is high and family median income is below federal guidelines; must be considered a small business under traditional federal Small Business Administration guidelines; and must be locally owned by at least one U.S. citizen. The businesses also must maintain their principal business offices in the designated HUB zone area.

Chacon said once a business has been HUB zone certified, they are eligible to participate in HUB zone procurements with the Laboratory and other federal agencies. "The HUB zone program provides local businesses an opportunity to compete for federal procurements on an equal footing with other parts of the country," Chacon said.

For more information, go to the Small Business Office’s Buy Northern Web page at http://buynorthern.lanl.gov/Main_Pages/HubZone_Opportunities.htm online. The Web page also has a link to a map that details HUB zones in New Mexico, including Native American pueblos. Or contact Chacon or Lujan at 667-4410.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.