Laboratory purchases in Northern New Mexico top $357 million

Contact: Steve Sandoval, steves@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9206 (01-118)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Nov. 5, 2001 -- The Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory purchased more than $357 million in goods and services from businesses in Northern New Mexico during the just ended fiscal year.

The figure represents purchases made through Sept. 30, the end of the Laboratory's 2001 fiscal year, from businesses in Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Taos, San Miguel, Sandoval and Mora counties and Native American pueblos, said Bennie Gonzales, Los Alamos' Small Business Program Office manager. The Small Business Program Office is part of the Laboratory’s Business Operations Division.

The fiscal year 2001 figure is $11 million more than the $346 million in procurements the Laboratory made from businesses in the seven counties in the 2000 fiscal year.

Gonzales also said the $357 million in procurements from Northern New Mexico businesses in the last fiscal year is nearly double the $191 million in procurements from businesses in the seven county region in the 1996 fiscal year.

The 1996 fiscal year was the benchmark the Department of Energy and University of California established for Laboratory purchases from Northern New Mexico businesses.

"The amount of goods and services the Laboratory purchased from small businesses in Northern New Mexico clearly demonstrates the Laboratory's commitment to the Northern New Mexico community and furthering the economic development in the region," said Gonzales.

Gonzales said goods and services include anything from the purchase of computers, office equipment and supplies, furniture, and machine shop fabrications, including support services from Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico and Protection Technology Los Alamos.

Contractual requirements for the purchase of goods and services from Northern New Mexico businesses is an "offramp" issue for the Laboratory as part of the university's contract to operate the Laboratory for DOE, said Gonzales.

Los Alamos’ Small Business Program Office has in place a number of programs that support small business and economic development in the region. Some of the programs include the Northern New Mexico Preference Program, part of Los Alamos' Regional Purchasing Program designed to strengthen regional business enterprises, stimulate greater regional employment and infrastructure, increase the business tax base in Northern New Mexico and reduce regional dependence on the federal government.

The Small Business Office this year also established the Historically Underutilized Business Program and has hosted several regional trade fairs to bring together small business owners with government and Laboratory procurement officials.

Los Alamos’ Small Business Program Office also has conducted a number of workshops and training sessions for small businesses interested in doing business with the Laboratory.

“We’re trying to make a real concerted effort to engage businesses in these counties,” said Gonzales. “We’re going out there and talking to businesses to inform them of purchasing opportunities at Los Alamos and trying to find matches for some of those businesses and the Laboratory.”

The Laboratory also is leveraging contracts with major contract companies by making them demonstrate how they will support small business through small business subcontracting opportunities, and requiring them to develop plans for economic development and involvement with community based projects.

For additional information about Laboratory small business outreach efforts, call 667-4410 or write to sbo@lanl.gov by electronic mail, or go to http://buynorthern.lanl.gov/ on the World Wide Web.

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

Additional news releases from the Business Operations (BUS) Division