FY14 Agency-Level Small Business Industry Awards (SBIA)

This year, NASA Administrator, Mr. Charles Bolden presented the FY14 Agency-Level Small Business Industry Awards (SBIA) at the NASA Industry Forum (NIF). Administrator Bolden discussed NASA’s ongoing missions and the importance of small business to the agency. “Small business is the heart and soul of NASA,” he said before explaining the process of how the agency-level winners are selected in three categories.

The FY14 Agency-Level Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year is a.i. solutions.They are the prime contractor on the Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support 2 (ELVIS 2) contract at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). While providing great customer service and submitting all contract deliverables on time they also assist NASA and the Launch Services Program (LSP) in meeting its mission goals.

From the left: Marisa Achee, Director of Business Development, Chip Greek, Director of Launch Services Division, Bob Sperling, President & CEO, Mark Roberts, Executive Vice President, Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator

The FY14 Agency-Level Subcontractor of the Year is Advanced Aerospace Solutions, LLC (AdvAero). AdvAero is a subcontractor to Engility Corporation on the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) Analysis and Development contract. TASAR is new to NASA and having Engility partnered with AdvAero takes concept formulation to operational readiness due to their expertise in this industry.

From the left: Marie-Helen Larose, Flight Test Engineer, John Maris, Chief Executive Officer and Mark Haynes, Chief Operating Officer, Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator 

The FY14 Agency-Level Prime Contractor of the Year is Raytheon Company. Raytheon is an exceptional Large Business Prime Contractor at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The integrated partnership with Earth Observing Systems Data and Information System (EOSDIS) and the Evolution and Development (EED) contract supporting Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) helps provide ten small businesses with growth opportunities that equates to a 42% work share for small business.

From the left: Tim Durham, Raytheon Business Development Manager Global Mission Operations, Timothy Ortiz, EOSDIS Evolution and Development Program, Senior Program Manager, Andrew J. Nappi, Director of Federal Programs, Raytheon Mission Support and Modernization, Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator 

Congratulations to all three centers and SBIA winners for their exceptional accomplishments in FY14.

2015 Spring NASA Industry Forum (NIF)

The NASA Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) held an engaging and highly successful 3^rd NASA Industry Forum (NIF) meeting. The NIF takes place semiannually and provides members the opportunity to gain insight and perspectives about center issues. The NIF is an agency-wide effort to share center-level information that is of concern to both NASA as well as NASA's contractors. The NIF consists of both small and large contractors representing all NASA centers.

We were honored to have many great speakers present at the 2015 Spring NIF meeting. Our first speaker was Ms. Lesa Roe, Deputy Administrator of NASA Office of the Administrator who briefed us on the Technical Capabilities Assessment Team Overview. Our second speaker was Dr. John Mather, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006. His presentation focused on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) which was a great sendoff for our tour of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on the second day of the NIF. The next speaker was Mr. Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator addressed the NIF stating the importance of small business within NASA before he and I presented the FY2014 NASA Small Business Industry Awards (SBIA).

As the day progressed, Mr. Kenneth Dodds, Director, Office of Policy, Planning & Liaison for the Small Business Administration (SBA) addressed us with a suburb SBA update to the NIF members. Our closing speaker was Ms. Krista Paquin, Deputy Associate Administrator for Mission Support presenting a Business Services Assessment Briefing that we appreciated. I want to thank all of our presenters for attending the NIF meeting.

Dr. John Mather presenting on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

On the second day of the NIF we took a bus to tour GSFC. The tour exceeded my expectations and I continue to be fascinated by how NASA limitlessly acts as the catalyst for aeronautics and deep space exploration. I look forward to another successful NIF coming in the fall of 2015 and I will continue to put forth effort to make the NIF as beneficial for its members as possible.

A look into the Clean Room of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) at

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) tour

The spring 2015 NASA Industry Forum (NIF) members after the Goddard Tour

Small Business Advocate Awards (SBAA)

7 years ago the NASA Small Business Advocate Awards (SBAA) were created to recognize outstanding efforts and innovative practices by NASA civil servants in support of the NASA Small Business Program.The awards categories are Small Business Specialist of the Year, Procurement Person (or Team) of the Year, Technical Person (or Team) of the Year and Program Person (or Team) of the Year.

For FY14 I am pleased to have selected winners for their extraordinary and unwavering work in support of the NASA Small Business Program.

• 2014 Small Business Specialist of the Year: Mr. Robert E. Watts, SSC
• 2014 Procurement Person of the Year: Mr. Craig W. Bowers, HQ
•      2014 Technical Person of the Year: Mr. Jeffery A. Chambers, GRC
• 2014 Program Team of the Year: Repair Aircraft Hanger Fire Protection Systems Team, AFRC, the team members are Ms. Andrea C. Basham, Mr. Brain G. Bowman and Mr. Justin D. Reid
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I want to take the time to congratulate each and every one of these awardees and look forward to having them and their peers continued support of the NASA Small Business Program.

For more information on past awardees and selection criteria please visit the link to our website: SBAA