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 Quarterly Newsletter (Q3)
July 16, 2025
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From the Director
On behalf of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), I’m pleased to share updates on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) small business activities and achievements. It’s an exciting time for DOE missions and critical small business partnerships supporting scientific research, environmental cleanup, national security, and energy infrastructure modernization.
To ensure the continued growth and success of the DOE Small Business Program, OSDBU has established a Strategic Plan. This new strategy builds on DOE’s historical small business achievements to expand access, innovation, and alignment through four foundational pillars:
1. Modernize Industry Engagement
2. Enable Data-Driven Innovation to Advance Small Business Procurement
3. Expand the American Energy Small Business Industrial Base
4. Sustain Strong Statutory Performance
As we head into the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, DOE is projected to meet and/or exceed its small business prime and subcontracting goals. DOE’s impressive small business numbers reflect its strong advocacy for small business concerns.
In events updates, DOE continues to support the small business community. OSDBU recently participated in a wide range of events hosted by the National Veteran Small Business Coalition, Energy Technology & Environmental Business Association, and Veteran Institute for Procurement. Check out the events recap in this edition.
This newsletter also features recent success stories, legislative updates, and new opportunities across the DOE enterprise. I hope you enjoy the articles and insights on key small business developments.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting DOE’s missions through small business excellence.
Warm regards,
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 Charlie Smith
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
U.S. Department of Energy
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Small Business Achievement
The Department continues to increase opportunities for small businesses. In the third quarter of FY 2025, the Department projects increased prime small business awards.
Below is a preliminary second quarter data summary of Prime Federal Contracting Spend and the change over the same period in prior years using the SAM.gov Small Business Goaling Report. Please note that the data has not been finalized.
Q3 FY 2021-2025 Prime Federal Small Business Contracting Spend
 The Department is outpacing prime awards to Small Businesses (SBs) by $100M, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) by $7M, and Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) by $43M compared to this same period in FY 2024.
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Annual DOE Small Business Awards Program Celebrates Achievements
 The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s (OSDBU) Annual Small Business Awards Program recognizes program elements, power marketing administrations, facility management contractors, small business program managers (SBPMs), and small businesses that have demonstrated exceptional performance in making small business a vital part of DOE’s mission success.
Below is a list of the recipients for the FY 2024 DOE Small Business Awards, the most recent period in which achievements have been recognized:
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Federal SBPM of the Year: Kenneth Johnson
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Federal Contracting Officer of the Year: Michael Forsgren
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FMC Small Business Program Manager of the Year: Lisa Tanner
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FMC Contracting Officer of the Year: Cherida Loder
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FMC Procurement Director of the Year: Mark Ashby
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Mentor of the Year: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
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Protégé of the Year: Strategic Industry, Inc.
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8(a)/Small Disadvantaged Business of the Year: North Wind Dynamics, LLC
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Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Management Solutions, LLC
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HUBZone Small Business of the Year: GovSmart, Inc.
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Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year: Sierra Services LLC
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SBIR/STTR Small Business of the Year: Peak Engineering LLC
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Small Business of the Year: Westfield Electroplating Company
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Large Business Subcontracting Excellence Award: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies
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OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award: Royina Lopez
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OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award: Stacey Francis
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OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award: Hekima Qualls
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OSDBU Director’s Excellence Award: Trenescia Briggman
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DOE Small Business Success Stories
The OSDBU is excited to share a small business success story from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS):
SRNS receives the 2025 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Services from U.S. Small Business Administration
SRNS Small Business Programs was honored with the prestigious 2025 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Services by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on May 5. Small Business Liaison Officer Lisa Tanner accepted the award on behalf of SRNS during the National Small Business Week ceremony in Washington, D.C., where SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler honored the awardees.
 Lisa Tanner, SRNS Small Business Liaison Officer and Dave Dietz, SRNS Senior Director of Supply Chain Procurement accept the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Services during the National Small Business Week ceremony.
The SBA recognizes excellence across small businesses and key resource partners to empower American job creators and drive economic growth in government contracting. Fifty-three winners attended the ceremony, where they were honored with individual awards and witnessed the naming of the 2025 National Small Business Person of the Year.
Read the full article on the SRNS website.
Thanks to SRNS for their continued partnership and commitment to small businesses and for sharing this great success story!
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Legislative Updates
Below are recent updates from the Small Business Procurement Advisory Council regarding government contracting programs:
FAR Overhaul
- The Office of Federal Procurement (OFPP) and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council are leading the FAR rewrite.
- Streamlining of the FAR will occur in two phases:
- Phase 1 (Deviation Guidance) - OFPP will release rewritten FAR parts; agencies are expected to issue individual or class deviations (CD) text using FAR rewrite version as a model; once a model CD text is created for all FAR parts, the rulemaking process will begin. Follow the rewrite process at: FAR Overhaul - FAR Part Deviation Guidance | Acquisition.GOV.
- Phase 2 (Formal Rulemaking) - OFPP will conduct the formal rulemaking process (using the notice and comment process) to codify the text.
- Federal Buying Guides - A living document that is updated to accommodate changes in procurement; focused on best practices for innovation throughout the acquisitions process.
- Agency next steps - Identify a senior procurement official as a POC; submit deviation text to FAR Council; conduct tests on deviations and share results; submit quarterly status reports.
More information:
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memo M-25-26 (May 2, 2025)
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Small Business Events Updates
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On April 9th, at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA, DOE's Charlie Smith (OSDBU Director) and Gary Lyttek (Senior Business Resource Manager for the National Nuclear Security Administration - NNSA), participated in a Fireside Chat sponsored by the National Veterans Small Business Coalition (NVSBC). The informative discussion focused on procurement opportunities for veteran small businesses and the unique structure and organization of DOE and NNSA.
 On April 16-17, OSDBU Director Charlie Smith took part in the Energy Technology & Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) 2025 New Mexico Federal Business Opportunities Forum. The agenda covered upcoming federal opportunities and projects in the New Mexico region and beyond. Additionally, the event included participation from the NNSA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories.
 On May 13-16, the OSDBU and other DOE Program Elements participated in the NVSBC's VETS25 Conference in Orlando, Fl. The agenda included a panel discussion with OSDBU Director Charlie Smith and other agency small business leaders. Additionally, the OSDBU's Tamara Miles (Principal Deputy Director) and Nicola Ohaegbu (Senior Small Business Advocate), as well as other DOE representatives, supported Matchmaking with small businesses to share Departmental resources and opportunities.
 On June 12, OSDBU Director Charlie Smith participated in the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) GROW “Small Business Federal Leaders Panel." The panel also included small business program representation from NASA, the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the General Services Administration.
📅Mark Your Calendars
Below are upcoming small business events and training. Please visit the Small Business Events Calendar on the OSDBU’s website for more information.
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