The U.S. Small Business Administration has named NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., as the winner of its 2008 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in the research and development category. The award recognizes large prime contractors who excel in using small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors.
This is the third time JPL has received this prestigious award, which is an unprecedented honor: Only two percent of Eisenhower Award winners have earned it at least twice. The Lab also received the award in 1996 and 2003.
The Small Business Administration evaluated JPL on the effectiveness of its supplier-diversity program and management’s commitment to small-business utilization. JPL has led an aggressive supplier-diversity program to give small businesses the maximum opportunity to compete for contracts. The JPL program helps small businesses owned by veterans, women and minorities. It is managed by JPL's Business Opportunities Office, which aims to increase the number of procurements and dollars awarded to such small businesses each year.
JPL Acquisition Division Manager Karl Bird will accept the award on behalf of JPL at the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week celebration in Washington, D.C., April 21 through 25. Since 1963, every president has declared National Small Business Week to formally recognize the important role of America’s small business community. During the weeklong celebration, JPL representatives and other award winners will interact with top agency officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders.
For more information on the JPL Business Opportunities Office and its Supplier-Diversity Program, visit: http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/boo .
For more information on the Eisenhower Award and National Small Business Week 2008, visit: http://www.sba.gov/sbw .
This is the third time JPL has received this prestigious award, which is an unprecedented honor: Only two percent of Eisenhower Award winners have earned it at least twice. The Lab also received the award in 1996 and 2003.
The Small Business Administration evaluated JPL on the effectiveness of its supplier-diversity program and management’s commitment to small-business utilization. JPL has led an aggressive supplier-diversity program to give small businesses the maximum opportunity to compete for contracts. The JPL program helps small businesses owned by veterans, women and minorities. It is managed by JPL's Business Opportunities Office, which aims to increase the number of procurements and dollars awarded to such small businesses each year.
JPL Acquisition Division Manager Karl Bird will accept the award on behalf of JPL at the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week celebration in Washington, D.C., April 21 through 25. Since 1963, every president has declared National Small Business Week to formally recognize the important role of America’s small business community. During the weeklong celebration, JPL representatives and other award winners will interact with top agency officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders.
For more information on the JPL Business Opportunities Office and its Supplier-Diversity Program, visit: http://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/boo .
For more information on the Eisenhower Award and National Small Business Week 2008, visit: http://www.sba.gov/sbw .