A U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor at the Savannah River Site recently enrolled a record seven small businesses into DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program.
Office of Environmental Management
January 14, 2025
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Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) protégés met to share knowledge and experiences during the 2024 Mentor-Protégé Center of Excellence event. US&S Facility Services, CRC Technologies and Strativia graduated from the program, sharing best practices with newly enrolled small businesses.
AIKEN, S.C. — A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently enrolled a record seven small businesses into DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program, further strengthening its commitment to fostering diverse and capable subcontractors across the cleanup complex.
Since the program’s launch in 2015, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has empowered small businesses to enhance their capabilities, increasing its investment in subcontracts with suppliers in DOE’s Mentor-Protégé Program from $400,000 to $41 million.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this program helps enhance their capabilities, enabling them to successfully compete for contracts with DOE and other federal agencies,” said Staci Peters, SRNS senior vice president of Business Services.
SRNS strategically aligns the skills of small businesses with current site demands, particularly in sectors typically dominated by larger corporations. Of the newly recruited protégés, five will focus on construction, one on staffing and development, and one on supplies.
“These small businesses will bring innovative solutions and specialized skills that play a critical role in supporting our missions and expanding our supply chain capabilities,” said Dave Dietz, SRNS supply chain procurement senior director.
The DOE Mentor-Protégé Program at SRS features a Center of Excellence forum, where seasoned companies exchange best practices and valuable insights. A recent forum provided protégés with valuable information on government contracting. It was held in partnership with South Carolina APEX Accelerator, which helps small businesses navigate the federal contracting landscape.
“The Center of Excellence forum allows protégés to collaborate with their peers and exchange ideas,” said Jana Chavous, SRNS lead supply chain management specialist. “Our seasoned protégés shared both their successes and lessons learned with newcomers to the program and how to do business with SRNS.”
Three companies graduated from the program: US&S Facility Services, CRC Technologies and Strativia. Notably, CRC Technologies, a woman-owned small business, was awarded $98 million in subcontracts during its five-year tenure in the program.
"Our company culture has evolved to reflect that of SRNS, DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration, which allows us to ensure mission deliverables and desired outcomes are achieved safely and promptly," said Bob Conner, founder and president of CRC Technologies. "This program has significantly benefited our business, leading to controlled growth and notable improvements in company size, stability, financial health and culture."
Typically, companies participate in the program for two years with an option for three additional one-year extensions.
The nine current protégés aim to introduce innovative solutions to support site missions in fiscal year 2025, which began in October. The program fosters shared mentoring practices complex-wide, enhancing procurement efficiency and saving federal funds. Protégés that receive mentor-protégé agreements at SRS can secure subcontracts to work at other EM sites.
-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb
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