SRNS Small Business Programs Brings Home Fifth Award in FY25

The Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Service Procurement and Small Business teams. Front row: Candyse Edwards, Procurement; Candice Kitchens, Supplier Relationship Development (SRD) Lead; Natasha Bradley, Procurement; Catherine Newman, Supplier Engagement Intern; Supplier Engagement Specialists Lisa Tanner, Lori Gee, Jana Chavous and Rachel Boyd. Back row: Jack Green, SRD Intern; Supplier Engagement Specialists Alyssa Canipe and Phil Kelly; Wayne Potter, SRD Manager; Joe Ortaldo, Procurement; and Adam Allen, Procurement.

The award recognized SRNS Small Business Liaison Officer Lisa Tanner’s energetic and forward thinking efforts in working with and advocating for small businesses. Members across federal and contractor teams were honored for their exceptional performance, which has made small business vital to the DOE’s mission success.

Lisa Tanner, SRNS Small Business Program Manager.

“I’m amazed by Lisa’s ability to transform our supplier engagement,” said Jay Johnson, SRNS Business Services Deputy Senior Vice President and Chief Contracting Officer. “She championed the use of small businesses in our most critical scopes, resulting in a record spend in FY24. She also leveraged small business innovation to deliver a dynamic supply chain risk management tool and supplier portal, which will enable future success.”

Under Tanner’s leadership, the SRNS Small Business Programs team achieved a 9% increase in small business utilization, redirecting $65 million from large businesses. Key achievements include a 66% increase in Women-Owned Small Business awards to $367 million, a 63% increase in HUBZone Small Business awards to $124 million, and an 85% growth in Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business awards to $141 million. Additional accomplishments include increasing the number of small businesses in the DOE Mentor-Protégé Program from five to 12, implementing a supplier portal to foster a diverse supplier base, and developing a real-time small business reporting dashboard.

SRNS Small Business Programs also received the following awards in FY25:

• Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence – U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Southeast Region Small Business Subcontractor of the Year – U.S. SBA
• Top Supply Chain Project Award - Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive
• Mentor of the Year - DOE OSDBU

"Lisa continues to exhibit the highest degree of dedication and commitment to the small business community since the Site’s landlord transition from Environmental Management to NNSA," said Gary Lyttek, Senior Business Source Manager for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Partnership and Acquisition Services. "Anyone who has met Lisa instantly responds to her energy and genuine desire to help those around her. She is an asset to herself, SRS, and NNSA’s Small Business Programs. We gladly celebrate her many accomplishments of the past year and look forward to future successes."

“At SRNS, we are passionate about supporting the growth of small businesses. We are thrilled by the opportunities we have facilitated for these enterprises to connect with us,” said Tanner. “I'm immensely proud of our team's efforts to help small businesses navigate the procurement process and drive economic and innovative advancements.”

SRNS continues to lead and drive results that have solidified its reputation as a leader in small business advocacy. For more information about SRNS Small Business Programs, click here.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina.