Defense Logistics Agency recognizes 34 industry partners for business excellence

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek honored 34 industry partners, customers and individuals Oct. 29 during the 2013 Business Alliance Award ceremony.

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The awards recognized those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to partner with DLA and improve the agency's mission – providing supplies and services to America's warfighters.

Industry representatives and DLA customers and employees were recognized in 11 categories, including a new category to honor companies who provided expedient and outstanding support during Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Vendor Excellence: Awarded to small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, and large businesses that have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Pacific Coast Fruit Co., Portland, Ore. (small business)
• Octo Consulting Group, McLean, Va. (small disadvantaged business)
• Building Solutions, Inc., Reno, Nev. (women-owned small business)
• TK&K Services, LLC, Alpharetta, Ga. (service disabled veteran-owned small business)
• Tradebe Treatment and Recycling, LLC, East Chicago, Ind. (large business)

Innovative Business Performer of the Year: Awarded to small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, and large businesses that have undertaken risks associated with innovative business practices such as shared production, electronic commerce, prime vendor contracts and quick response time, and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Military Battery Systems, Inc., Golden, Colo. (small business)
• Sage Energy Trading, LLC, Jenks, Okla. (women-owned small business and historically underutilized business zone small business)
• Open Text Public Sector Solutions, Inc., Arlington, Va. (large business)

Outstanding Readiness Support: Awarded to small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, and large businesses that have provided extraordinary customer support, service or product during a crisis situation and have demonstrated overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Carolina Linkages dba Safe Ports, North Charleston, S.C. (small business and women-owned small business)
• Xact Tool, Inc., Shell Lake, Wis. (service disabled veteran-owned small business)
• FN Manufacturing, Columbia, S.C. (large business)

Outstanding Ability One Program Vendor: Awarded to non-profit agencies – NIB (National Industries for the Blind, employing the blind) or SourceAmerica, formally known as NISH, (employing persons with severe disabilities) – that exemplify overall excellence in superior product quality, on-time delivery, superior customer service, reliability, dependability, consistency and accuracy.

• Arizona Industries for the Blind, Phoenix, Ariz. (NIB)
• DePaul Industries, Portland, Ore. (SourceAmerica)

Recognized Cost Saver: Awarded to a business for its extraordinary efforts that resulted in cost savings to the government through a reduction in material costs throughout the performance period of a contract. These savings are measured by the reductions in the cost of items to the government, reduced profit margins, reduced overhead, and/or other tangible areas of savings that ultimately leads to DLA reducing its material costs to its customers.

• Aqua-Chem, Knoxville, Tenn. (small business)
• Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc., Herndon, Va.  (large business)

Customer of the Year: Awarded to the Department of Defense customer organization that exemplifies the highest degree of professionalism, and meets or exceeds criteria in one or more of the following categories and clearly stand above the rest in their commitment to DLA programs and initiatives: DLA prime vendor, quick response, performance-based services acquisition/logistics and tailored logistics support solutions.

• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, N.H.

Commander's Choice Award: Awarded to the non-DLA individual whose dedication and commitment to the DLA mission affects the quality of life for U.S. men and women in uniform.

• Marsena Covington, Eaton Corp. Aerospace Group, Irvine, Calif.

DLA Strategic Acquisition Award: Awarded to a company who partners with the agency to support the Department of Defense's Better Buying Power initiatives.  

• General Electric Corp., Lynn, Mass. (large business)

DLA also recognized two of its employees who have excelled in their jobs and set an example for others to emulate.

Outstanding DLA Small Business Professional of the Year

• Michael McCall, associate director of Small Business, DLA Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. McCall was recognized for his accomplishments as an outstanding small business advocate as well as serving as a subject matter expert on small business contracting policies and procedures at DLA Troop Support.

Outstanding DLA Acquisition Professional Supporting Small Business

• Frank Holder, supervisory contract specialist, Produce Acquisition Branch, DLA Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. Holder was recognized for managing 26 Long Term Contracts, which are all awarded to small businesses. In addition, through his efforts in Fiscal Year 2013 until present, eight new Long Term contracts have been made by his team valued at more than $327 million.

Hurricane Sandy Awardees: Awarded to small, small disadvantaged, women-owned, service disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, and large businesses who provided emergency products and services in support of DLA's relief efforts to assist other federal and state agencies last year after Hurricane Sandy.

• Foster Fuels, Brookneal, Va., fuel support (small business)
• Hess Corp., New York, N.Y., fuel support (large business)
• Titan Maritime LLC, Pomano Beach, Fla., Marine salvage and ship wreck removal services (small business)
• Foss Maritime, Seattle, Wash., ship building and repair (large business)
• SAIC, Fairfield, N.J., generators and other accessories for support (small business)
• Supply Core, Rockford, Ill., generators (small business)
• ADS, Virginia Beach, Va., generators (small business)
• Caterpillar, Mossville, Ill., generators and other accessories for support (large business)
• Pocono Produce Co. dba Pocono Pro Foods, Stroudsburg, Pa., bottled water (women-owned small business)
• SOPAKCO, Inc., Mullins, S.C., meals (small business)
• Marine Environmental Services, LLC, Forked River, N.J., transportation (service disabled veteran-owned small business)
• Capt. Phil Belico, captain of Huber Bay,  Marine Environmental Services, LLC, Forked River, N.J., marine and barge transportation (service disabled veteran-owned small business)
• American Environmental Services, Sewickley, Pa., bulk debris removal (small business)
• Clean Venture, Inc., Elizabeth, N.J., bulk debris removal (large business)

As a Department of Defense combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 85 percent of the military's spare parts.

Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., DLA has about 25,000 employees worldwide and supports nearly 2,300 weapon systems. For more information about DLA, go to www.dla.mil, www.facebook.com/dla.mil or http://twitter.com/dlamil.

SOURCE Defense Logistics Agency